The sweetest taste of sin
by Cengiz
Summary: Finding yourself in an undercover operation where you and your partner play a married couple is one thing. But suddenly realising that the case pushes you both into a direction none of you were prepared for, a completely other. Especially when you discover, that your close contact has the same effect on him as drugs. [rated M for intense/sexual content and topic]
1. I can feel her on my skin

**A/N:** Hello my dear readers. Finally, I am able to upload the story I am working on since October. Back then, I was listening to the version of the song "Closer" sung by J2 feat. Keeley Bumford, and instantly felt the urge to write this one.

Actually, I've wanted to start this story right after the hug Chloe and Lucifer shared, but after seeing episode 2x08 and Chloe being jealous, I found this the perfect moment to let the story start from. :D

It is **rated M** for topic, language, and yes my dears, also for explicitly writing down certain moments between them, especially in the later chapters (the kinky stuff starts with chapter 3). And it is a six chapter story.

Sorry for the length of the first chapter, it went slightly out of hand, but I didn't want to upload the introduction separately. Sooooo. Anyway.

Edit: This chapter **is now beta-read by Daemon**. Thank you so much. All remaining mistakes are my own :D

Enjoy!

* * *

 _I can feel her on my skin_

o~o

Lucifer walked into the police station, wearing a pleasant smile on his lips. He wasn't light-hearted, though. He hadn't heard anything from the detective in a couple of days and it vexed him to the core. After the trip to Stabby Town, he was dead sure to have seen something like jealousy in Chloe's eyes, and that would mean she really cared about him, that he was more than just a friend to her. But after that, she was acting all weird: at first, she seemed nervous around him and didn't want to look him directly in the eyes, but now she avoided him completely... as if he was the plague. Today was the day he finally had enough and he was determined to confront her and find out why she acted so strangely. He headed straight to his partner's desk, just to find it empty. Irritated, he looked around, searching the room for the one person who might know where to find her.

"Detective do-," he stopped right away in his sentence. After their little encounter at the swimming pool, it just didn't feel right to still call him that way; plus, right now, he wanted something from him: Answers! "Dan," he exclaimed, walking towards the man in question and putting on a stern expression. "Where is the Detective? I tried to call her for the last three days, but she doesn't answer me. Is there something wrong with her?"

"No," Dan answered nonchalantly, looking up from the file he was reading, "She just got a new case and needs every free minute to prepare for it."

"A new case?" Lucifer repeated curiously and his mood immediately lit up. New case meant close cooperation, and that meant plenty of Chloe-time. "Splendid!" he shouted out, beaming with delight. "Where is she?"

"Inside the boss's office," Dan answered, seeing him instantly turning on his heels at the cue. "But you're not allowed to go in there!" he shouted after him but got ignored completely. He shook his head and concentrated back on the file in his hand.

Lucifer made a bee-line to the Lieutenant's office. Without even knocking, he burst right into the room.

"Lucifer!" Chloe shouted at him aghast, helping the three other people inside the room to quickly hide the pictures that lay spread out on her boss's desk.

"Did I interrupt something naughty?" he teased, smiling smugly and licking his lips. He stretched his neck to catch a glimpse at the pictures, and his smile dropped disappointedly as he only saw dead bodies.

"Mr Morningstar, this is a private session. I suggest you leave right now," Lieutenant Monroe ordered him sternly, shifting on her chair to cover the arousal she instantly felt at the sight of this handsome man.

Without a word, Lucifer leant back, shutting the door behind him in the process, and demonstratively folded his arms in front of his chest, making clear that he would go nowhere.

"Lucifer!" Chloe admonished him once again. She'd turned around in the chair she sat in to directly look at him.

His smirk disappeared from his lips as he saw her distressed eyes almost pleading at him to follow the order. Something was odd; very odd. And he was intent on staying right where he was until he knew what was going on. "Do you have a new case?" he inquired calmly, ignoring the lieutenant and the other two men staring at him in silence.

"Yes, but -" she replied, but was quickly cut off by him.

"Very well, I'm your partner. That means, I'm on that case, too," he remarked, flashing her an assuring smile.

Chloe shook her head in the negative. "No, Lucifer. Not this time. This is something I have to do on my own." She glanced over at the detective sitting in the chair next to her and corrected, "Well, something we have to do." She gestured between the two of them to make clear what she meant.

Lucifer followed her finger and stared down at the other man, eyeing him suspiciously: Dark hair, green eyes, confident smile on a distinctive face, fit body from what he could see, and clearly a cop. He didn't like him right away. Narrowing his eyes slightly to express his discontent towards this human individual, he turned his attention back to her. "So is this the reason you avoided my calls? You don't want to work with me any more?" The hurt he felt sounded clearly through.

"No, it's not that!" she quickly answered with a soft voice, trying to assure him that it hadn't had anything to do with him. "And I'm sorry that I've avoided you a little. I just didn't know how to tell you that I help them with their case," she explained, completely sweeping under the table that it was also because she, first of all, had to come square with that unfamiliar feeling of upcoming jealousy whenever he spoke to or interacted with a female person that wasn't herself.

He eyed her, perplexed. "Then why can't I help, too? I'm good at that."

"It's not possible this time. I'm sorry, Lucifer," she declined again, lightly shaking her head. Seeing him gazing at her with his puppy dog eyes tugged at her heart strings, but she couldn't have and didn't want him in this case. Sighing, she briefly glanced at her lieutenant, before she looked back at him. "Why don't you wait outside and I'll explain everything to you when I'm done here, OK?" she offered as a gesture of peace.

"No!" Lucifer countered, determined. "If you want to explain, then do it now. I'm not leaving this room before I know what's going on."

He huffed lightly, and Chloe found his behaviour tremendously similar to that of Trixie's when she couldn't get her way. She suppressed the chuckle that crawled up her throat to remain a certain level of professionalism during this serious matter.

Forecasting that they wouldn't get anywhere near an end, Monroe interfered, taking the pictures back out of the folder and placing them in front of her. "Alright, Mr Morningstar. What I'm about to tell you now is strictly confidential. You must not tell anyone outside this office. There are lives depending on that," she cautioned him with a wary stare.

"My lips are sealed," he assured her, smiling pleased at the little victory and glancing over at Chloe, who rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"These are pictures of couples that were murdered, during a timespan of two years," she explained, bringing them in the correct order. "The man to my left is Lieutenant Garcia from the vice department." She pointed towards him before her hand moved to the sitting man, and she continued, "And this is Detective Anderson. They both work on this case since day one."

Lucifer quickly nodded politely towards them before his attention turned back to the pictures on the desk. He stepped forward to have a better look: The first four sets showed naked couples, facing each other with their hands intertwined. There were bruises all over the bodies but otherwise, they looked unharmed and pale. Suddenly something caught his eyes, and he lowered himself to look at them more closely. Cuts had been made through their flesh, but without blood pouring out of the wounds, and for a moment he wondered if they had been inflicted post-mortem.

"The medical examiners determined their cause of death as massive internal bleedings, inflicted by blunt trauma to their throats, rectums, as well as vaginas in the female cases," the Lieutenant explained further. As she spotted his eyebrows shooting up in bewilderment, she added, summing it up, "They were literally raped to death."

He straightened himself, clenching his teeth in anger. Whoever did this, needed to be punished as fast as possible. "Did you find any evidence about the killer?" he queried gravely.

Lieutenant Monroe shook her head. "All victims had been cleaned almost obsessively. There were no prints of any kind, no bodily fluids even deep within their bodies. The only connection between them was the place they'd lived in directly before their death."

Lucifer nodded his understanding. "What about these?" he pointed to the set of pictures of a fifth couple. They were naked as well, with bruises and cuts all over their bodies, but they didn't hold hands. They rather looked like carelessly discarded, compared to the others who were clearly in pose, and there were letters cut into the skin across their abdomens. He leant forwards again to read them. "' _Nice try'_. What does that mean?" he wondered, looking up.

It was Lieutenant Garcia who answered him, "Those two were detectives from my department, Fernández and Johnson. The only connection between the murders was their place of living: A gated community called Riveroak State, harbouring about 20 houses. We investigated them several times, but they appeared like an impenetrable wall. We couldn't get any information out of them, and wasn't it due to the victims' documents confirming that they had lived there, nothing would have pointed in that direction. We assumed the murderer to be among the residents, and two weeks ago we managed to get two of our detectives there, undercover as a young married couple, matching the other victims' personas. Unfortunately, three days later they were found like this. We don't know if they made a mistake and were debunked or if somebody gave the murderer a hint."

"You think there is a mole inside your department?" Lucifer asked curiously, having quickly put two and two together.

Garcia took a deep breath, shrugging his shoulders while shaking his head. "I don't think so, but I didn't want to take any risks. Supervision granted us one more try and we need to act fast. That's why we came here, asking for the detective's help." He pointed towards Chloe.

Lucifer tensed. He didn't like it at all that the lieutenant, coming from the vice division himself, had explicitly asked for Chloe, especially after two of their detectives had already been murdered. He sighed deeply, eyeing her with concern.

She quickly withdrew from his look, knowing it all too well: it was worry for her and a light rebuke, but on top of it all, that look made her heart beat faster, her lungs inhale sharply, and her cheeks blush brightly. She didn't want to reveal that he had such a strong effect on her; not to strangers, not to her lieutenant, and especially not to him.

He looked back at Garcia. "You need a couple for that operation and came to her because she used to be an actress, right?" he concluded, not needing the other's confirmation. "So, she has to put herself in danger to play house with who? That dude here?" He pointed to Anderson; his eyes, however, remained fixed on the lieutenant. "What makes you so sure that he's not the mole?" he asked sternly, turning around and looking directly at the man; his eyes turned dark with the anger and worry that built up inside of him.

"Fernández was my sister!" Anderson answered, holding his gaze. "I want to catch that killer as quickly as possible," he assured him sincerely.

"It's still too dangerous!" Lucifer retorted, turning his gaze back to their lieutenant. "How can you agree to that? How can you put the Detective in such great danger? They already exposed and killed two detectives," he reproached her appalled, adding, "And now you want to send her right after, nicely wrapped up with a ribbon around her neck?" He couldn't believe their recklessness. After all, it was Chloe's life that was at stake.

"No! Now is even more the right time," Garcia interjected quickly. "They don't expect us to send the next couple right away. This is the best shot we can get."

"By risking her life?!" Lucifer countered sharply, raising his voice.

"Hey! I'm right here," Chloe tossed in, barely holding back her anger about his behaviour. She slightly slapped his arm to get his attention. "Stop talking about me as if I were a kid. I'm a grown-up. I make my own decisions," she pointed out with a determined tone in her voice.

Lucifer looked at her, the anger in his eyes quickly changing to that of apology as he saw her piercing eyes staring back at him, but he wouldn't back down on that topic. It wasn't just that it displeased him completely that she would be going undercover to play the wife of someone she didn't even know, or someone he didn't know, or someone other than him, for that matter. But it was dangerous! Under no circumstances would he let her go there alone. " _I'm_ your partner, Detective!" he stated determined, staring at her before he looked up to the lieutenants. "If you want to send her undercover, fine, but _I'm_ going with her," he declared, making clear that he wouldn't change his mind.

"Are you... what?!" Chloe retorted, perplexed. For a moment, she was speechless but quickly found her voice back. "You have absolutely no expertise in going undercover!" she added, standing up from the chair to give emphasis to her argument, and to appear taller. She pointed towards Anderson as she declared, "He is a detective highly trained in undercover investigations." Pointing towards herself, she continued, "I've been a detective for over ten years by now, with an acting career before that, hence I am more than suitable for that job." Moving her finger towards him, she ended, "You are none of that! This case is highly risky. I can't watch your ass while I investigate the murders. I neither want any kind of distraction nor take any risks." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, certain to stand her ground.

"So, I'm a distraction to you?" he asked with a mixture of delight and consternation. He was about to argue with her on that part, as he quickly shook himself back to the core problem. "I'm not risking your life! This bloke over here is." He pointed at Anderson, who still sat in the chair.

"Watch it!" Anderson warned him, now standing up himself. With a height similar to that of Lucifer's, he could easily stare him in the eyes, if he hadn't been ignored by him already.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down and to prevent the situation from degenerating into some preschool fight, she gave him a knowing look, raising one of her eyebrows. "Yeah. Like that one time at the player's convention, where it took you, what, 5 minutes, to reveal to everyone that I was a cop?" She shook her head again, making clear that he was out of this case. Putting on a more decent tone, she went on, "We can't allow any mistakes here. If we take just one false step or say one wrong word, we won't get thrown out." She grabbed the picture of the dead detectives from the table, holding it in front of him to underline her argument. "We'll get killed," she warned him.

Lucifer took the picture from out of her hand, tossing it back onto the table. "Precisely! Because it's so dangerous, you can't be serious about considering this man here," he pointed over his shoulder, "to play your husband. How long do you know him? One day? Two days? Everyone will see just by the look at him that he is a cop, and that you're not familiar with each other. We, on the other side," he gestured between the two of them, "have worked closely together for over a year now. We know each other inside out. We trust each other. Heck, we've already seen each other naked," he listed the things he believed to be beneficial in choosing him.

Chloe's face went beet-red at that piece of information. She quickly turned to the others, wildly gesturing with her arm, forming an exclamation mark with her forefinger as she pointed out, "This was purely coincidental. In a totally non-sexual way."

At seeing her reaction, the smug smile settled back down on his face. He decreased the distance between himself and the detective by slightly bending forward, countering with a voice that was dripping with pleasure, "See! There clearly is a connection between us. A spark, a burning fire, so to speak."

"There is no burning fire between us!" she promptly shot back, her voice filled with a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment. "And my answer is no!" She was determined to hold her ground. Even if no one seemed to back her up in this regard. Not even the lieutenant, who had been so adamant in not informing the _civilian consultant_ under any circumstances in the beginning, but was now watching them from behind her desk in silence. Once again, she found herself fighting on her own, and she didn't like it in the slightest that this time, it was against the only person who ever had her back.

"Just admit it, I'm perfect for that role," he replied cheekily, the smug smile widely stretching his lips and once again he licked his lips. Seeing the blush on her cheeks and having the little fight, somehow turned him on. He knew the situation was very serious, but it felt more like a bantering between them than an actual argument, and he couldn't help teasing her further.

Chloe shook her head once more, certain about her decision. Again, she listed the things that spoke against him as her partner in that particular case, imploringly hoping that he somehow would see reason, "Lucifer, you're a civilian consultant. Civilian!" she repeated the word to underline its meaning. "You always speak first and think later, if at all. You don't care if you hurt, upset or enrage someone else with what you say. But during this investigation, you would have to play a role and must not step out of line at any time. And I know you're not capable of that. You've already proven so on several other occasions. Plus, you always have to tell everybody that you're the devil," she whispered the last sentence to him to not let the others hear it.

Her points didn't lessen his grin in the slightest. To the contrary, they stretched his lips to a broad, cheeky smile as he saw them only as further support for his opinion. "I've already told you, Detective, that I like to play in general. And I don't even have to play much of a role in this investigation. I'm simply me. I'll turn on my charms and mesmerise the others to tell us who the killer is. Two days tops, job done, and we can go back," he countered assuredly. Leaning forward to her, he added, his voice equally a whisper, "And I can promise for that time to only let out the devil in the bedroom." He bit his lips to prevent himself from shouting out with joy as he saw her blushing deeply again.

"You can't even lie!" Chloe retorted, the embarrassment she felt at his last words quickly made room for the frustration that started to arise.

"Quite the contrary!" he objected. "I told you that I don't like lying and that I never lie to you, but I am very capable of lying myself."

Chloe squinted her eyes in anger, the fight started to jar on her nerves. "Lucifer! This is not some adults playing the kinky form of house. This is serious police work. 24 hours a day, several days or even weeks, until we catch the killer. People could get harmed. They even could get killed. You -." _could get killed,_ she wanted to say but quickly trailed off. It wouldn't help now to show him the worry she felt about putting him in danger as well. Why couldn't he simply let her do her job, just this once? Why did he always have to make things so much more complicated? It made her furious that he didn't trust her in this regard.

"One more point to not let you go there on your own," he retorted confidently.

"I'm not on my own!" she hissed, her blood almost boiling in anger. "I have a partner there!" she pointed out, refraining from adding that it would be much easier to play the wife of someone she didn't feel emotionally attached to. After all, this job was just temporary. And she feared that she couldn't handle being so close to him for some days, maybe even kissing him, and then go back to being only professional partners afterwards. Let alone watching him again with other women, knowing that they would get from him what she couldn't have. She fumed at herself about that thought, quickly shaking her head to get rid of it. No, he was her partner, her colleague. She would not allow herself seeing anything different in him than that!

Lucifer shook his head. "No offence, but everyone sees that he's a cop from 10 yards distance," he argued and reduced the space between them a little further. "Plus, have I already mentioned that I'm much more suitable as your partner than _anyone else_?" he said the last words out loud to make a point.

"I think he's right," Lieutenant Garcia suddenly confirmed, his deep voice sounded calm and certain. The two of them remarkably resembled him and his wife in the beginning of their relationship, and his heart warmed up at the thought of his late wife. He hadn't even listened to their argument for five minutes and already felt their strong connection to each other. He was pretty sure everyone else could feel it, too.

"What?" Chloe and Anderson stated in unison, appalled. They had turned around and stared in bewilderment at the lieutenant. Chloe couldn't believe her ears. She didn't want to. Every fibre of her body wanted to scream at the man that this was a no-go, that she disapproved of it, but somehow the words didn't want to pass her lips. She could only stand there gaping at him in silent shock, hoping that her thought-to-be-husband voiced his deprecation.

But Anderson wasn't any better. Yes, he'd worked on this case since day one, and especially after his sister had been murdered, leaving his nieces motherless and his sister-in-law grieving behind, he was determined to catch the killer himself, but he not only trusted his boss to the fullest, he also couldn't deny that there was something between the two of them that made them predestined for the job.

"Oh, really?" Lucifer half singsonged, beaming with delight. It was a support from a really unexpected direction, but he didn't mind at all. With one lieutenant already on his side, he knew Chloe had no chance. After all, he knew how to make their own lieutenant give in on that very quickly.

Garcia nodded clearly to highlight his certainty. "Yes, I can see that _spark_ between you." He used Lucifer's exact word. "Plus, you already fight like an old couple," he teased them, earning another glare from the detective. Turning to his colleague, he elucidated further, "Don't get me wrong, Olivia. I don't want to risk both of your detective's and consultant's lives, but this is the last chance we have to get the killer. I want to get the best out of it as I can. And right now, I think your detective and her partner are totally fitting for the roles."

Monroe looked at him with a wary glance, thinking it through, but then nodded her approval. "You're right. You two go." She pointed at Chloe and Lucifer, making clear for the detective that her battle was lost.

/-/

"So, this is the secret identity section," Lucifer exclaimed loudly, stepping into the storage room that harboured huge piles of different clothes, sorted by size.

Chloe rolled her eyes at his made-up name, suppressing the smile that wanted to spread her lips. She was already standing in between the clothes, looking for those that could be considered higher class fashion when her partner approached her, stopping right behind her.

Lucifer eyed the items that hung loosely over her arm. He felt delighted at the prospect of seeing her in a breath of nothing but also felt disgusted at the low-cost material. His gaze wandered around, and he walked up to the suits. He briefly touched the sleeves to feel their texture and took a quick glance at their labels, which revealed that all of them were the cheapest clothes of the cheapest. His feeling narrowed down to a very distinct disgust and he wrinkled his nose snidely, walking back to her. "I'm not wearing these things. Can't I use my own clothes? My skin needs a certain level of comfort, and these fabrics clearly don't have that," he complained, looking over her shoulder to get another sneak peek at her choices.

"Well, maybe going undercover isn't really your thing after all. That's OK, we can still get Anderson down here," she teased, allowing the smile to finally settle down on her face.

He shook his head, determined. "Sorry, my dear. Cheap clothes won't keep me from doing my duties as your partner." He bent forward, whispering into her ear with a sneaky grin on his lips, "And your husband!"

The way he spoke the last word sent a shiver down her spine and instantly reminded her of why she didn't want to work with him in that particular case in the first place. She dug her head deeper into the piles, hiding the blush that heated up her cheeks and hoping it would quickly disappear again.

A door was being opened and shut from the other side of the room and heavy footsteps resounded on the floor, making clear that someone was approaching them. Chloe was relieved about the distraction and quickly looked in that direction, walking a couple of steps ahead as she spotted Garcia, thus putting Lucifer behind her.

"I've got your documents," the lieutenant declared in a friendly manner, stopping in front of her and handing her a file that contained all the necessary certificates, IDs, and background stories for their cover.

Lucifer's grin turned to an impressed smile. If he'd known the police was able to get fake identities in less than 24 hours, he would have gone directly to them when he arrived in L.A. He had to bit his tongue to prevent himself from speaking that thought out loud.

"Great! Thank you," Chloe replied, sending the elder man a warm smile, and opened it, quickly looking over the pages.

"I'm definitely not wearing these hessian sacks you call clothes!" Lucifer audibly repeated his complaint, stepping next to the detective. The smile on his face had disappeared, leaving only a mixture of certainty and distaste behind. "According to the living standards of the four victims during the debriefing yesterday, Anderson pointed out that they all had a high-class fashion sense. No wonder your detectives were exposed when they've had to dress themselves up with these things." He gestured around to make his point.

Chloe's head whirled around. "That was way out of line, Lucifer!" she rebuked him sharply.

Garcia smiled warmly, shaking his head as he replied, "We had a budget for them, so their clothes were exquisite, I assure you. That money, however, has already been spent to the last penny. I'm sorry, but these clothes you see here are everything we can provide you with."

"Very well," Lucifer replied, sending him an apologetic smile, accompanied by an acknowledging nod. "So would it be OK if I wear my own clothes then?"

"Yes," the lieutenant confirmed and quickly added, "But we won't refund anything in case they get damaged."

The devil's eyes beamed with delight at that piece of information. "Perfect!" he purred, satisfied.

"Please memorise all the facts of your background story and carry nothing but the new documents with you," Garcia explained, pointing towards the file in Chloe's hand. "We decided to stick to the truth as much as possible so it will all be more authentic. We even kept your first names, but the last name had to be changed. Please don't make a mistake on that, Mr and Mrs Moran," he addressed them, adding towards Lucifer, "We also decided that you came from London, in accordance with your accent."

"Thank you, I appreciate that," Lucifer replied with a big smile. Taking the ID Chloe handed him, his mood instantly dropped southwards. "Really?! Samuel Lucifer Moran?" He huffed angrily.

"Since it's not allowed to give your child the first name Lucifer in Great Britain, we thought this was more comprehensible. You can still go by the name Lucifer, though. Just be aware that they will ask questions," Garcia explained calmly.

"I understood that. But really? Out of all possibilities, you had to pick that name?" His eyes turned dark in anger.

Chloe glanced over at him in surprise. "What's wrong with that name? My grandfather was called Samuel as well." Seeing his eyes piercing at her, she quickly added, trying to soothe him, "Lucifer, it's only temporary. You don't even have to mention it on your own. I'm pretty sure no one will look at your ID."

The hint of a fright he saw flashing up in her eyes quickly brought him back to his senses. He sighed, composing himself and sending her a warm smile. "Well, guess I have to put this under 'things I do for my wife', then," he mumbled to himself, taking another breath.

Chloe rolled her eyes again as she heard his remark, but couldn't hide the smirk from spreading her lips.

"Speaking off," Garcia stated and opened the box he had held in his hand all the time, revealing one type of wedding ring in several different sizes. "May I now announce you, husband and wife," he joked, flashing them a wide grin.

Chloe chuckled lightly, taking a ring and trying it on. It was slightly too big and she put it back, taking one size smaller and placing it on her ring finger. It fit perfectly, and for a split second the moment of her own wedding with Dan flashed back into her mind. The joy she felt when they made their vows to each other. How she was certain that this would last a lifetime, that she would be with him till the day she died. Sadness overcame her at the memory, and she bit back some tears that threatened to leave her eyes. Mentally shaking herself back into reality, she sighed deeply and put on a smile.

Lucifer looked into the box, warily eyeing the rings. "Is this even real gold?" he asked doubtingly, gazing down at the rings that certainly had been put on way too many fingers. "And where are the diamonds?" he added, sceptically looking up.

"Not in the budget," the lieutenant only answered, shaking his head.

"Still! Couldn't you buy something more classy?" He raised one eyebrow to accentuate his reluctance and straightened himself, putting his hands in his pockets and making clear that he wouldn't take one of these.

"Lucifer! We're a police department, not a jewellery," Chloe countered, rolling her eyes once more at his behaviour. She was sure that by noon she would feel giddy at all the eye-rolling if he kept on complaining about everything.

"Not even in the evidence room?" he suggested, turning to her and adding with a smile, "I bet there lies something nobler."

Chloe narrowed her eyes, suppressing the growl. "No! Because that would still be _evidence_!"

"Sorry, these are the only ones available," Garcia replied, his warm smile remaining on his face. He really liked that young lad, who reminded him so much of himself when he was still young.

Lucifer grunted grumpily and picked one that could fit his finger. He put it into his pocket, determined to not let this piece of metal touch any more skin of his before it'd get disinfected thoroughly.

Garcia smiled pleased and closed the box, informing them further, "Tomorrow morning is the official moving. Please make sure to put everything into the removal van until tonight. Also your clothes, Mr Morningstar," he reminded him.

The smile went back on Lucifer's lips, and he countered smugly, "Pardon, you must confuse me for this very handsome looking owner of LUX. I'm Lucifer Moran, nice to meet you." He held out his hand in an overly playful manner.

Garcia let out a hearty laugh as he played along, shaking his hand. "Very good!" he praised him, before putting on a more serious tone. "Please learn your personal background and your background as a couple. Stick to the truth as much as possible without revealing too much," he cautioned them. Nodding his goodbye, he turned around again and walked away.

Chloe took her bag from the ground and stored file and ring away. She was about to add the already selected clothes as well, when suddenly Lucifer took them out of her hand and tossed them back onto the pile. "Why did you do that?" she asked puzzled, eyeing him suspiciously.

"We're faking a rich, classy couple. I'm not letting you wear these second-hand clothes," he explained to her, adding with a cocky smile, "Especially not next to me."

"What? You don't think I look good in them?" she asked him teasingly.

"To the contrary!" he objected quickly. "You could wear a potato sack and would still look stunningly beautiful. Or wear nothing at all," he added, teasing back. "But I don't want any lecher sizing you up in your birthday suit. Therefore, come on, we two go shopping." He offered his hand to her, tilting his head a little as she didn't grab it right away.

"I'm a police officer! I'm in a completely different salary class from you," she pointed out.

Lucifer raised his eyebrow at her. "I know," he stated matter-of-factly. "That's why I'm paying." Seeing her hesitation, he added, "Just so you know, we'll return them after the case is done. So, no harm's done on that part." He winked at her and smiled as she finally nodded, agreeing.

/-/

Lucifer stepped out of his car and jogged towards Chloe's house, ringing the bell. The door was instantly opened and a pair of long legs greeted him. He sized them up, his eyes big with surprise and delight, and his mouth half open in astonishment. His gaze wandered upwards and he got sight of the very short pair of shorts and the oversized shirt which ends were knotted together loosely around her belly, underlining her slender waist. The sleeves were rolled back to the elbows, revealing arms that were folded in front of her chest, adding more volume to the small but perfectly shaped breasts underneath the shirt. He looked further up and finally caught sight of the annoyed look she had put on her face, which was accentuated by some loose strands of her hair while the main part was knotted together into a bun. "You really should wear that to work," he suggested teasingly, flashing her a bright cheeky smile.

Chloe rolled her eyes, sparing a reply as she turned around, walking back to the counter and commenting nonchalantly, "Do you come in or are you glued to the spot?" Having him at her back now, she finally allowed her own smile to stretch her lips, feeling victorious at his stunned reaction. The day before, they had spent several hours inside this clothing shop he'd taken her to. And the two saleswomen were more than happy to supply him with more and more of their newest fashion. Him! Not her. _She_ was parked inside one of the changing cubicles as soon as they had entered and he had declared that he was looking for some appropriate clothes for his wife. They were handed her inside, and after each set, she had to come out, present them to him so he could decide ' _yes_ ' or ' _no_ '. It had made her a little angry that he seemed to enjoy it thoroughly to dress her up like a doll, and she needed to remind herself more than once, that not only he was paying, but also that he obviously had more taste in high-class fashion than her. Still, seeing the gobsmacked look on his face now gave her a feeling of satisfaction, that she could elicit this from him with only such _average clothes._

He cocked his head to the side as his eyes fell onto the perfectly shaped butt cheeks, lightly bobbing up and down with every step she took. His mind wandered off, and he repeated under his breath, "Definitely wear that more often." He had to concentrate strongly to not let his mind drift off too much into kinky-land like it had happened the day before during shopping. At first, he had felt delighted at the two saleswomen practically clinging to his neck like the women used to before he met Chloe. Somehow, after that, his appeal on women seemed to cease, and he'd enjoyed their sparkling eyes and the light rivalry between them to please him with each further set of clothes. He had stood directly by the three big mirrors, waiting for Chloe to come out to have a closer look on whether they suited her or not. And yes, he did struggle with deciding on them. Chloe simply looked too good in whatever she was wearing, and he mainly used two traits on whether he gave a thumbs-up or not: Did Chloe come out with her lips compressed in any way or one of the corners of her lips pointed faintly southwards, then it was a definite ' _no'_. Did she come out with a smile she tried to hide really hard, then a ' _yes'_. And did the saleswomen stare at her, green with envy, then it was a definite ' _yes and keep it'._ Somehow the length of the chosen clothes, especially the dresses, seemed to decrease with every further hour they'd been in there and he'd enjoyed it to the fullest. From time to time he stepped up to her, laid his arm around her and lightly pressed her into him to admire the look of them together as a couple, and at first he didn't notice, but more and more he addressed her as ' _his wife_ ' or ' _darling_ ' or ' _love_ ', especially when the saleswomen were around. The words just seemed to roll easily from his tongue, and he wanted to make them aware that the beautiful woman right next to his arm was _his_. A thought that confused him, and he would have preferred to discuss this with the doctor later, but unfortunately, she wasn't there. At one point he had to walk back to the big cosy chair that was there for exhausted partners while their wives did the shopping. He would have preferred to stay close to Chloe, but the short dresses which left little to the imagination and their light fabric that felt as if he was touching her actual skin whenever he put his arm around her started to stir up an arousal inside of him he couldn't stop hiding any longer. He'd taken a seat in one of them, crossing his leg over the other to make sure no one got aware of the light bulge that had formed in his trousers and dug his fingers into the material of the armrests to stop himself from touching anything else. He wouldn't have minded giving both saleswomen a show, but he definitely didn't want to upset Chloe or make her feel uncomfortable around him. And right now, the clothes she was wearing had the same effect on him. He'd wanted to leap forward, wrap his arms around her, press her close to himself and feel her bare skin, and he wanted to kiss her, pushing his tongue into her mouth and taste her.

"Lucifer!" Chloe shouted for him.

He swallowed audibly, quickly shaking himself out of his mind and taking several deep breaths to compose himself. He quickly checked down on himself to make sure everything was still in its appropriate place and smiled relieved at the confirmation. "Right!" He stepped inside and walked after her.

"Do you have your ID?" she asked, squatting down and putting her purse into the Gucci bag he had insisted on buying her as well, adding all the other things that still were on the ground: the documents, carefully sorted, a picture of her and Trixie, and several other personal items.

He averted his gaze from her frame, hastily shaking away the thoughts that started to play certain movies in his head again, to not lose focus, and answered, "Yes, and I also learned our background stories."

"Good," she praised him, smiling, and looked up at him. Standing up, she hung the bag over her shoulder and was about to grab the ring from the kitchen counter when he stopped her immediately.

"You don't need that!" he objected. Seeing her looking puzzled at him, he took a little box from out of his pocket, opening it, and showed her the ring that matched the one he was already wearing. "I took the liberty to buy a pair with more class," he explained and showed her his own.

Chloe stepped forward, her eyes wandering from the one on his finger to his eyes, to the one in the box, and aback. "You're crazy!" she stated, astonished.

His smile widened even further as he saw her sparkling eyes. "I'm married now. But that's the same, isn't it?" he teased her.

Chloe chuckled and playfully slapped his arm. She admired the ring for a little longer: It was made of white gold, a little diamond was edged into it with two yellow golden rays on each side, forming an X. It looked as if the diamond was the light of a lighthouse and the golden parts its rays. She found it quite fitting for someone whose name was the _light bearer_. She gazed back to his own ring, it was almost identical to hers, just a little bigger.

Lucifer took the ring out of the box, holding it towards her as he asked, "May I?"

She couldn't keep the wide smirk on her face from spreading even further and she held her hand out to him in anticipation.

He took her hand in his left one and was about to put the ring on her finger as he halted, looking up into her sea blue eyes with a sly grin appearing on his lips. "Want me to get down on one knee first?" he teased her again, swiftly licking his lips.

The question coloured her cheeks in a light pink and she hastily shook her head, refusing with a grin, "No thanks! That would be too much."

Without further words he put the ring on her finger, and then bent his head in a lord-like behaviour, kissing her hand and stating in a deep English accent, "May I escort the lady to her carriage?"

Chloe giggled at his acting. "You may," she answered, sweeping a curtsey to join the game. She quickly grabbed her jacket as they exited her house and went to the car, getting in.

"Just one more thing," he stated suddenly, taking out his mobile and leaning over to her. He grabbed around her waist, gently pulling her into him while holding the phone in front of them.

Chloe eyed him sceptically. "What's the point of that?"

"We're a married couple now," he answered matter-of-factly. "We need pictures together."

"You're taking this way too seriously," she countered jokingly, shaking her head. She leant into him, smiling into the camera, as he took the picture.

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The ride already lasted for some time and they enjoyed their togetherness in silence. Lucifer mainly concentrated on the road in front of him, only glancing over to her from time to time to get a sneak peek at her bare legs, while Chloe mostly looked out of the window, enjoying the view of this part of L.A. she hadn't had the opportunity to get to know before, while mentally going through the facts of the case, her background, his background and their background together.

As he turned into a rather private looking street and she spotted the large white gate at the end of it, she instantly knew they had reached Riveroak State. How he had memorised all the turns and streets without even once using a navigation system or map, she didn't know. She had looked up the way to the gated neighbourhood the evening before, and even with taking notes she found it rather confusing. It had appeared to her like a maze with identically looking streets being arranged almost chequered.

Lucifer slowed the car down as they came closer to the guardhouse that was situated on the left side of the street. The security guard on duty looked at them warily from out of the window but then nodded towards them with something that could count as a smile. Lucifer nodded back, smiling widely at him, while Chloe waved one hand.

"Alright! Let's start with the game," she announced under her breath, sighing quietly.

Lucifer nodded but remained silent. He turned the car in the driveway of their new home, stopping the engine. The removal van was already there, and several movers were busy carrying some furniture and boxes into the house.

Chloe gaped in amazement as she got sight of the house. She went out of the car, grabbing her bag and walked several steps ahead, stopping again to adore the view a little longer. They hadn't shown them any real pictures of it, only the layout. And now that she was standing right in front of it, she couldn't believe that she would live in such a fancy home, even if it was just for short. Her mind flipped back to the case that lay ahead of them, and she squinted her eyes, sighing and calling herself to order. Fancy or not, somewhere in this neighbourhood was a killer on the loose, and she was determined to put a stop to his activities.

Lucifer exited the car as well, his own excitement neatly hidden under a smug smile. He stepped next to Chloe, putting his arm around her waist and pressed her lightly into himself. "Could have been worse," he declared, playing it cool. His fingers fiddled slightly with the fabric of her shirt and suddenly he found a spot where the hem ended but the shorts hadn't started yet. He dipped a finger into the spot, then added another and slightly moved his fingertips across the warm skin, relishing the sensations the touch caused inside of him.

Chloe looked down to his hand as she felt his fingers on her skin, wearing a smile on her face. The caress felt really good and she enjoyed it thoroughly, but as he added a third finger and started to move against the waistband of her shorts, slightly increasing the pressure on her skin and trying to get beneath it, she decided he had toyed enough. She playfully slapped his hand and turned around, leaning into him to take a glance at the other houses while whispering into his ear, reminding him, "We have a job to do."

Her breath tickled his ear and quickly brought him back to his senses. Shaking the thoughts off of his mind, he firmer pulled her into him, his hand carefully placed on her back to bring enough fabric and distance between his fingers and the place they actually wanted to be in right now. "At least wait until the movers are gone, before you start investigating the neighbourhood," he teased her, placing a tender kiss on her cheekbone.

Chloe nuzzled her nose against his cheek, taking a deep breath to keep herself from snuggling closer into him, and admitted, "You're right. Let's check out the rooms, shall we?" She leant her upper body away from him to better look him in the eyes, awaiting his response.

Lucifer smiled at her, nodded, and let go. Taking her hand, he led her inside to explore their temporary residence.

/-/

At some point, between them entering the house and her starting to open the boxes that were placed in each room according to their tag, the movers must have left. She hadn't even realised it. The house just was so overwhelming. They had a huge bedroom with windows spanning across the whole wall and a balcony going around the corner. But what was the best of it, the two had their own dressing rooms reachable through a door on each side, and their own bathroom attached to it. Chloe had firmly declared that the larger one of the bathrooms was hers as soon as she spotted the sublime bathtub in the middle of it, which was increased on one side, providing perfect support for her neck and head, and she couldn't wait to test that little container later.

Lucifer hadn't minded her decision as he spotted the beam in her eyes. He'd preferred that cosy double shower in the smaller one anyway and had started to move the mobile clothing rails his suits hung on into the appropriate dressing room, removing the covers that were neatly put around them, he hung them in the closet. When he stepped back into the bedroom, Chloe was nowhere to be found, her clothing rails still standing there. He moved them into her dressing room, quickly stowing them away in her closet before he went looking for her.

He promptly spotted her in the entrance area, rummaging in boxes as he leant against the handrail, looking down. He smiled in amusement at the sight of her and quickly grabbed his phone taking a picture before he tucked it away again and walked down the stairs, asking her nonchalantly, "What are you looking for?"

"My stuff," she explained absent-mindedly, her eyes fixed to the box in front of her. When she was done searching through it, she glanced up at him. Seeing his puzzled face, she explained in a hushed voice, "Police stuff. Gun, Taser, handcuffs."

His eyes sparkled at that piece of information. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind for later use and warily narrowed his eyes. "I thought we weren't allowed such things?"

Chloe stood up, sighing deeply and putting her hands into the pockets of her shorts, taking a step towards him. "Just in case," she cleared herself. No matter the orders, the detective in her would never go anywhere without proper protection. That's why she'd hidden them in one of the boxes when they were still unlabelled, and she mentally scolded herself for not secretly marking that one. "Could you look into the boxes upstairs?" she asked, sending her best pleading smile to him.

"Sure!" Lucifer replied with a grin. He turned around, walking back up, and disappeared into the bedroom, starting with the boxes that were in front of him.

He squatted down, opened the first one, and was greeted by a broad variety of different panties, thongs and those you could barely count as such. His eyes widened in delight and he wondered when she had bought them. Rummaging further through them, he slowly got aware that she didn't buy them for the case. Some were already washed-out, indicating that they were her very own and his smile widened even further at the realisation of finally knowing what she was wearing underneath her long pair of jeans for work. He stopped in mid-movement as a thought struck him: He had forgotten to go lingerie shopping with her! He would definitely catch up on that later and wrote himself a mental note as he turned around to the second box, hoping that there were the matching bras inside.

He opened it, but only found several things of office supplies. "You definitely don't belong in the bedroom," he whispered to himself, further rummaging around in it.

Chloe was about to open the last box in the entrance area when a knock resounded. She quickly stood up and stepped to the door, opening it.

"Hey, I'm Patricia," a woman her age greeted her friendly. "I'm living right next door and wanted to welcome the new arrivals to our beautiful little neighbourhood."

She held out her hand and Chloe quickly took it, greeting her back with a bright smile, "Hello. I'm Chloe. Chloe Moran. Nice to meet you."

Their nice little chat was suddenly interrupted by Lucifer's loud voice shouting from out of the bedroom, "Detective! I've found your little tools."

Chloe froze in mid-air. ' _Alright, think, cover up. I could still come up with a reasonable explanation for that_ ,' she thought to herself, her eyes getting bigger in dismay. It was her luck that her cheeks at this moment also decided to colour her face in a bright pink, making her seem rather embarrassed than caught.

Not hearing anything from her, Lucifer took the handcuffs out of the box to tease her a little and kill some time, and stood up, stepping out into the hallway and looking down. The door was wide open, and Chloe stood in front of it stiff like a deer caught in headlights, she clearly must have been talking to someone. "Oh, bugger!" he mumbled to himself as he got aware of the hairy situation he'd just put her in.

"Oh, you're a police officer?" Patricia asked her curiously, her smile hiding the little wariness she felt instantly.

"Well, no. Actually not," Chloe replied sheepishly, trying to figure out what reasonable explanation would not bust their undercover work before it had even started.

Suddenly she felt a firm arm around her waist, pulling her into a well-defined chest looking out from beneath an unbuttoned shirt. She looked up and found herself staring directly into the dark eyes of Lucifer.

"Didn't you hear me, darling? I've found the handcuffs," he told her in a husky voice, holding them above her head like a mistletoe. "You really need to come and arrest me, Detective. I've been a very, very naughty little thief." He whispered the last words against the sensitive skin of her neck, feeling the goosebumps his breath had caused there as he lowered his lips, kissing the spot and nibbling on it. He pulled her further into him, his free hand wandering directly to her bum, his fingers digging deep into one of her cheeks and lightly lifting it up.

Chloe turned beet-red, she didn't know what to think or how to react. "Lucifer!" she called him to order, her voice slightly shaking. The tingling sensation that ran through her body like a fire, caused by his mouth that kissed and sucked along her neck, moving up and down, and his hands on her body that seemed to be everywhere around her almost made her mind stop working. She needed her concentration back, especially with the bystander that was looking directly at their show. "Lucifer!" she called him again, her voice more urgent, but the only reaction she got was him pulling her even closer to his body. "Lucifer!" she called loudly, using both her hands to push against his chest, trying to get at least his lips away from the very sensitive spot they were currently nibbling at and causing her a rush.

Finally, his mouth let go of her and he looked up, strictly ignoring the open door. "Chloe, you're killing the mood," he countered, his voice a mixture of disappointment and rebuke.

"We have a guest!" she pointed out, visibly out of breath. She grabbed his chin and turned his head towards the direction, feeling relief as he instantly let go of her.

"Oh!" Lucifer exclaimed, beaming with joy. He stretched the hand out to her that still had the handcuffs encompassed. "Hello, love. I'm Lucifer Moran. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Chloe spotted the handcuffs and quickly grabbed them out of his hand before their guest could shake it, stowing them away in the back pocket of her shorts.

"Patricia Clarkson. Nice to meet you, too," she replied and flashed them a wide cheeky smile. Her eyes locked on Lucifer, getting big, and her smile stretched even further.

Chloe knew all too well that look this woman was sending him. She didn't know what possessed her, but all of a sudden she found herself grabbing around his waist, holding tight and snuggling her cheek against his chest, demonstrating the woman that he was _hers_.

Lucifer looked down to her, smirking broadly at her possessive move, and he put his one arm back around her body, pulling her towards him, and ran his other hand over her back. "Is there something we can help you with?" he asked nonchalantly, his eyes fixed on the woman in front of him while his hand explored its newly acquired territory, moving south and once again getting in contact with her butt cheeks, teasingly digging his fingers into them.

Patricia stared at him for a little bit longer before she shook herself out of her daze. She quickly glanced down at their hands, making out the matching rings and repeated in her head like a mantra ' _married_ ', ' _married_ ', ' _married_ ' to stop herself from leaping forwards and sucking on that handsome man's chest. "Oh, no! I just wanted to welcome you in our neighbourhood and invite you to my pool party tomorrow evening," she replied in a friendly manner, turning her attention back to Chloe to stop herself from drowning again in those deep, dark brown eyes of her husband's. "This way you can also get to know some of us," she explained and pointed towards her house, adding, "It starts at eight. No need to knock, just go through the wicket gate into the garden."

"Oh, thank you very much," Lucifer purred, kneading his fingers deeper into the smooth but firm flesh of his partner's bottom. He smirked with delight as he felt her nails digging into his side in hope they would cause him to stop with his teasing.

"Is there something we can bring along?" Chloe asked, putting a big smile on her face while she held herself back from slapping his hand off of her.

Patricia shook her head, unaware of the silent fight between the pair in front of her. She flashed them another warm smile as she answered, "No. You'll be my honoured guests."

"Alright. Thank you so much," Chloe replied, trying to keep the forced smile on her face looking natural.

A moment of silence fell between them and Patricia suddenly got aware that the man called Lucifer had only eyes for his wife, staring at her with an expression she knew all too well from her own husband, while he seemed to eliminate even further space between them that hadn't been there in the first place. She slightly tapped with her feet to overcome the awkward feeling that spread out inside of her. "Well, then I'll let you continue unpacking your stuff," she quickly stated, taking several steps towards her own home, before she added, "Till tomorrow then," she flashed them another big smile, waved her goodbye and turned around, letting the wide knowing grin settle down on her face now as she went back to her house.

Chloe hastily closed the door and Lucifer instantly let go of her as he heard it fall shut.

"That was close!" Chloe whispered, taking a deep, relieved breath.

"Do you think she still thinks you're a cop?" Lucifer wondered, lowering his voice to not be possibly overheard by anyone.

"Well," she started, turning to him to lock their eyes. "Either that or she thinks we're into some kind of bondage role play sex," she countered, the fright of the near-exposure still visible on her face. "And I actually don't know what's worse."

Lucifer chuckled loudly and gripped around her again, his hands aiming for her behind, but Chloe quickly stopped him in mid-movement. "Oh, and by the way: If you ever grab my bum again that way -"

"Will you put me over your knee and spank me?" he interrupted her, a wide smug grin on his face as he lowered himself down to her.

"No," she flashed him a threatening smile, grabbing his chin to stop him from leaning further. "I'm gonna break each and every single one of your fingers, honey," she answered, pecking his cheek. Turning around, she made her way up to the bedroom to get the rest of her stuff and put it away safely.

Lucifer stared at her, chuckling with delight and awe.

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Chloe sat in the big cosy bathtub, relishing the hot water and the smooth foam around her, breathing in the pleasant scent of the bath supplement. She sighed deeply, breathing out the stress of the day and relaxing her muscles.

Soft tones of the melody Lucifer was playing downstairs came to her ears, only adding up to the relaxation she felt. A faint smile appeared on her face as she thought back to the moment a delivery van drove onto their driveway. ' _Count on Lucifer to bring a grand_ _piano_ _with him even during a police investigation_ ,' she thought to herself and chuckled lightly.

She relished the water around her some more before she felt it was time to get out. Wrapping herself in a big, cosy towel, she walked to the washbasin. Clearing the mirror from the steam with her hand, she looked at herself. Her eyes widened in shock as she spotted something, and she quickly bent forward, moving her head slightly to better make out the love-bite on her neck. "Lucifer!" she growled under her breath. She was about to shout out her anger at him as she stopped herself. After all, he only did this to rescue her out of that near-exposure moment, a moment he had put her in in the first place, but still, at least this way no one would assume that they were faking the marriage. She sighed again, deciding to leave it at that, and opened the cupboard, getting out her toothbrush.

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Lucifer stepped into the bedroom, his hair still damp from the shower, a towel tightly wrapped around his hip. He stopped as he saw Chloe getting out of her dressing room, wearing a long pair of pyjama trousers and a tank top, and making her way to the king size bed.

"I hope you have some sort of pyjama pants yourself," she stated nonchalantly, removing the covers from the bed. "I'm not letting you sleep naked next to me." She looked up, revealing with her expression that she meant what she said.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes, a grin widely stretching his lips. "Prude!" he mocked her and disappeared into his dressing room; only to emerge from it a moment later, in one hand holding up a flannel pyjama set that had been in vogue during the late 80s, and some sort of pyjama shorts in the other. "You even get to pick what you prefer," he purred, flashing her a teasing smile.

Chloe looked up and fell across the bed, laughing so hard she had to hold her belly. After she'd caught her breath, she commented, still grinning widely, "I think I can live with the shorts."

"Splendid!" he replied with a cheeky grin and disappeared back into the dressing room.

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They were both snuggled into the bed, each one on their side, the room only enlightened by the soft shine of the moon outside, when Lucifer turned to her, half whispering, "Chloe?"

The woman in question turned around, locking her eyes with him.

"I'm sorry that I've almost burst our cover," he admitted quietly. He had thought about it all day but couldn't bring up the courage to go directly to her and apologise. Still, he did feel the need to do so and found it quite easier with the room almost dark.

Chloe smiled warmly, leaning over a bit further. Her hand reached up to his hair and she ran her fingers through it, lightly scratching his scalp. "Is OK. I know you didn't do it on purpose. We need to be more careful from now on, though. You're not Morningstar, the devil," she teased, "and I am not Decker, the detective. Alright?"

"Yes, my lovely wife," he answered, the wide grin back on his face.

"Now try to get some sleep," she whispered softly.

He would have preferred to relish her caress a little longer, but she quickly pulled her hand away, and turned back around, leaving him with the sight at her back. He sighed and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. First the look at her bare legs, then the feeling of her body against his own, her soft skin beneath his fingers and the taste of it on his lips, and now the feeling of her hand running through his hair, he still felt all of that as if it had happened just now.

How was he supposed to fall asleep now, with the ghost of her body still lingering on his?

* * *

 **A/N:** Yes, you've finally reached the end of the first chapter. Please let me know how you liked it.

Have a nice day!

:o)


	2. I can taste her on my tongue

**A/N:** Hello my dears. First of all, I wanted to thank all of you for your amazing feedback on this story. You are awesome! Not only all those lovely reviews I got from you (I couldn't reply to some of you and wanted to thank you right here for your words. :o) ), also for the many people who have put this on their favourites and/or alert list. You guys rock!

Then I wanted to say sorry to those I told this chapter would be up before Christmas. In my defence, at that time I thought the chapter wouldn't be longer than 10,000 words, and, well, as you can see it turned out to be much more than that. And, as my dear beta-reader pointed out that I shouldn't pressure myself with chapter lengths or upload time points, I just wanted to say that from now on, I won't give any vague assumptions for when the next chapter will be uploaded. It is done when it's done, and you'll read it when I think it is perfect to be read. :D Thank you for bearing with me in that regard :D

And just one little hint: I loved them dancing in the show so much! And yes I also had a dance for them in mind as I started this story in October, but I can only hope that my scene is anywhere near the scene on the show and you'll like it as well. :D

This chapter is **beta-read** , by the awesome Daemon! You rock!

Enjoy!

* * *

 _I can taste her on my tongue_

o~o

The neurons in Chloe's brain fired their signals through her body and gradually she awoke out of her dream. She took a deep breath, stretching her toes and fingers, and yawned as she exhaled. Blinking away the tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes, she slowly opened them and adjusted her sight to her new surroundings. It took her a moment before she got fully aware of where exactly she was: new house, Riveroak State, undercover job. Right!

She tried to move, but something pinned her down into the mattress; something heavy and warm. With her brain still half in the clouds, she couldn't quite specify what it was and just assumed that it was her limbs that had gotten numb during sleep. She lowered her gaze to her arm in front of her, concentrating her mind on moving. It was strange: Albeit she really thought she was lifting her arm, seeing it, it didn't move a jot. Another moment passed by, accompanied by some more blinks of her eyes before she realised what exactly was out of order: The arm in front of her wasn't her own. It was larger, hairier, and definitely male, and it released a pulse through her mind that instantly got her back into the here and now. "Lucifer, what? You're crushing me!" she groaned in a weary voice, and shifted her body beneath him, trying to shove him off of her, but he simply was too heavy.

In her attempts to shake him awake she was greeted by some quietly mumbled words she couldn't understand, directly spoken into her ear. His warm breath tickled her skin, sending a shudder through her ear and down her spine, and for a moment she stiffened in her movements before she continued to struggle underneath him while dictating in a now clear and firm tone, "Get off me!"

Her demand was instantly granted and he rolled over onto the middle of the bed, repeating his mumbled words, this time more audible, "Morning, love." He stretched himself and used his fingers to rub the sleepy dust out of his eyes, blinking several times and yawning as well, before he turned his head towards her and answered her unspoken question, "You were tossing and turning the whole night. I couldn't sleep till I stopped you from moving."

"Oh," she replied sheepishly, feeling not quite comfortable with that little truth. At least, he didn't tell her again that she had snored like an Albanian field wench. "You could have woken me up, you know?" she told him in a more casual tone and sat up, staring down at him.

"I tried to," Lucifer replied and his lips widened into a smirk as he added, "But you were dead to the world." He stretched his arms some more, not minding at all that he lightly brushed across her back with one of them in the movement as he lay both down on the mattress. "Besides, some body contact would be good for you. After all, you're my wife; we should be used to touching each other," he mentioned nonchalantly and walked with his fingers up her spine.

Chloe immediately moved her body in a half-turn, facing him fully and thereby bringing some distance between herself and his fumbling fingers. "What do you mean with that?" she asked, eyeing him sceptically.

He lifted his upper body on both his elbows, smirking at her, as he used his hand to gesture between the both of them, and countered, "That's a perfect example! I barely touched you and you shrink away from me as if I just set you on fire." He grinned smugly at his own remark, and Chloe sensed that soon a sexual comment would follow, but before she could even form a snappish reply, he added, "And yesterday, when I kissed your neck, you got stiff as a poker. Everyone saw that you were uncomfortable with me touching or kissing you, which did fit perfectly at that moment, considering we were giving that audience an unwanted show, but when we go to the party this evening, we need to be more, well-" he looked around the room, fishing for a suitable word in his mind he could describe it with, before he continued, "- _used_ to each other. Do you get what I mean?" he asked and moved his arm until his fingers touched her knee and he stroke across the fabric of her pyjama trousers.

Chloe's body stiffened again at the sudden contact and she shifted herself, asking him perplexed, "What are you doing?"

"Proving my point!" he answered cockily and nodded once at her, but withdrew his hand on the spot. "You instantly get uncomfortable when I touch you, and so far you've barely touched me; only when you absolutely needed to," he reprimanded her, entirely dropping the moment when she'd wrapped her arms around him, because he knew she only did this as a result of Patricia giving him that look. "We haven't even kissed once since we're here," he added, making his complaint complete. What was this undercover job good for, anyhow, if he couldn't get some benefits out of it, at least?

"Okay," Chloe responded, feeling a little dumbfounded and surprised at the sudden scolding. After all, it was _her_ who had years of acting training, and back then she always had been praised for her authenticity whenever she played her roles. Now getting rebuked by someone with absolutely no expertise in this field gnawed at her self-esteem. If only she wouldn't get that tingling sensation in the depths of her body each time he touched her or got close to her or even just lay there half-naked in front of her, she could be much better at pretending, she thought and sighed deeply. Silently, she shook her head. Lucifer was right! When _he_ could notice her feelings, and he was known for being oblivious in regards to other people's emotions, then the others would recognise that, too. And she couldn't let that happen. She was risking their undercover operation, not just its success but also their lives, just because she couldn't get herself under control. "Alright," Chloe declared, nodded, and sighed once again before she raised her head and stared at him. "What do you suggest?"

His answer came in him suddenly sitting up and grabbing her, and Chloe couldn't help that little shriek from escaping her throat as he pulled her into him, holding tight with one arm around her, while he moved her legs to each side of his body by using his free hand. Chloe clasped her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling into him and only loosened her grip as he lowered her down in his lap. His one arm still holding her firm in position, he ran his other hand across her lower back to help her calm down, not knowing that this caused exactly the opposite.

Her heart was racing at the sudden close contact, and she inhaled deeply a couple of times to stop her rapid breathing. It took some effort, but eventually, the loud throbbing of her heart in her ears silenced, and she got the connection back to her mind. It didn't take long for her to remember that she was actually holding fast onto his bare skin, and her cheeks coloured in a light pink. As if stung by a bee, she let go of him. His low chuckles resounded through the room, making clear that he was not just amused by her but also fully aware of the reason for her blushing, and she folded her arms in front of her chest in anger, glaring at him.

Lucifer let go of her altogether and leant a bit backwards to give her some time and space to get along with the physical closeness between them. He sighed, looking up and down at her, and grinned widely. It was too much of a fun teasing her when he always got rewarded with that cute frown in her face, he thought, and lightly shook his head, chuckling some more. Come to think of all the things he could do with her, on top of him... Not wanting to go down that path in his mind, he quickly brushed off these thoughts and stated in a somewhat chiding tone, "Well, to begin with, you should really change your long trousers into something else. I've already seen your bare legs three times, and it's too warm to bring the weather as an excuse for wearing something like that." He pointed towards the fabric. "Besides, we're freshly married, and not one of those old couples who live way beyond their expiry date and whose only personal display of affection is a kiss once in a week. So, actually, I wouldn't mind at all if you sleep completely naked." He grinned cheekily and ran his tongue across his teeth, staring at her with almost black eyes as he added, "I already know how you look in nothing but your skin."

"No!" Chloe objected right away, resolute that this would never happen. Pretending or not, they still were partners; there needed to be a distinct line between them that none of them should ever cross, and sleeping naked next to each other was definitely beyond this line. But he was also right, she had to admit; normally she'd sleep naked, and especially in the beginning of her marriage with Dan they even did so when it was freezing cold outside. Still, this _marriage_ was a fake one. There was no way he would see more of her than any other colleague she'd worked with. Remembering the two occasions where he actually had seen more, she added in her head, ' _At least, not again_.' "I will change into something more lighter," she complied with him, making clear with a move of her hand that this topic was off the table.

"Lovely," he replied and smiled at her, pleased. "And then, for the sake of your sting operation, I want you to touch me!"

"Excuse me?!" Chloe gaped at him, completely flabbergasted. Did she just hear right? Did he really suggest, what she heard him suggesting? She couldn't believe her ears.

Lucifer rolled his eyes. Of course, she would think _that_ was what he meant, he thought. Well, normally it would have been exactly _that_. But in this particular case, it wasn't. "Not in a sexual way!" he retorted, cutting off the thoughts in her head. "You need to get comfortable with my body; with touching me, snuggling up to me," he listed, a delighted smirk stretching his cheeks as he said, "Kissing me." He wetted his lips, enjoying the blush that was now clearly on the detective's face. Letting her finally off the hook, he casually mentioned with a wave of his hand, "This is what couples do, after all." He stared at her, seeing the contradicting emotions flashing up on her face as she mentally debated about it, and, once again, enjoyed her embarrassment.

' _He is right! Again!_ ' Chloe eventually concluded, and it vexed her a little that he showed much more professional behaviour in this than she did. She didn't really show affection towards him, her _husband_ , as it was supposed to be. On the other hand, he didn't really have to change his persona for that. He could never keep his hands off of women and made no secret about it that he wanted her beneath him, writhing and panting, and that's why he was so good at playing her recently wedded spouse. Damn! She really needed to get her emotions under control, or else they could forget about the case. This would have been so much easier with Anderson at her side, she thought and sighed quietly. But he wasn't here, and she had to park her own thoughts to the very back of her mind and just go with the flow. Sighing again, she agreed eventually, "Alright, where shall I start?"

"Wherever you want, Chloe," he answered softly and bent his upper body backwards to give her more space, supporting his body weight and balance on both his outstretched arms, his smile now permanently plastered on his face, in anticipation of what was about to come. "You don't need to ask for permission first," he stated and watched her attentively. Why was the detective always so complicated? She clearly wanted to touch him, he saw that very evidently in her eyes and her shy smile. But why in the world did she go so strictly against her own desires? That was something that absolutely didn't want to get into his head, and he did a mental note for that. The doctor definitely had to explain him this paradox called Chloe Decker in their next session.

Chloe nodded slightly and mentally prepared herself as if she was about to go on a shoot-out. Actually, she would have much preferred this shoot-out right now, as she let her hands hover over his chest. That firm chest with its soft skin and well-defined abs, not too visibly, though; just as she'd liked it. She only hoped that this tingling sensation wouldn't start again when she touched him. After all, she was sitting on top of him right now, and she knew her body. That tingling sensation would head directly to the area between her legs, making everything ready for a much-wanted visit, and her pyjama trousers wouldn't be able to fully hide that little preparation. And then he would recognise it, and would know it, and would...

"Are you sleeping with your eyes open?" Lucifer asked her teasingly and saw her eyes zooming right back and focussing on him.

Chloe swallowed, sheepishly staring at him, and only hoped that her thoughts weren't all too visible on her features right now. "No," she countered, trying to push the awkwardness of the moment away and to focus on the task ahead. "Right," she commented to herself and finally lowered her hands down onto his skin; his skin that was so warm and oh so soft, she realised, and reflexively bit her lower lip to make sure no unwanted, sudden moans could escape her mouth. Why did he have to have such soft skin? She locked her eyes firmly on his chest, not daring to look anywhere else as she moved her hands up and down his torso, continuing with only the tips of her fingers as she felt the effect of his smooth body in her system. ' _Just lightly_ ,' she told herself, ' _as little contact as necessary_.' She ghosted with her fingers over his skin, mentally thinking of not so pleasant thing to try to hold the sensations in herself at bay. She let out a low, relieved sigh as she felt herself relax, the tingling subsided, leaving only a comfortable feeling behind. But still, she didn't dare to look anywhere else than at his chest, especially not into his face, knowing all too well that there was probably a wide smug grin staring at her right now, and she didn't want to see that at any cost. She didn't know how she'd react if she had proof that he knew what his body did to her, and she didn't want to know, either. Not now, anyway.

Lucifer used all his mental willpower to concentrate on his breathing: inhale, exhale, keep it as even as possible, he told himself over and over again and was glad that she was so intently looking at his chest, and not at his face. Initially, he'd thought that this would be something to get the detective into an aroused state, seeing her blush deeper, and getting her to finally admit that she _wanted_ to jump his bones, but the desired effect was quite the opposite: _She_ looked rather clinical as she ran her fingers across his chest, and _he_ , he was quite busy with keeping his own arousal at bay that had come up as soon as she lowered her fingers on his skin. Why did her touch had to affect him so much? He had plenty of women underneath him, or above him, or both, and none of them had ever managed to stir up such a strong sensation inside of him. Especially not by just touching him. And Chloe barely touched him at all, with only her fingertips running over his chest. But still, this was enough to bring him into such a state of sexual excitement, and it vexed him, knowing that he couldn't play out his carnal desires at all. He would have preferred a fight with his brother right now than being situated underneath her, completely at her mercy. Why did she have such power over him? At least she wasn't looking up and saw what she did to him, he thought to himself and squinted his eyes shut for a moment as he felt another rush through his body.

When her hands moved further down on his body and caressed the outlines of his navel, he relished that sensation for a bit too long, and his guard went tumbling down. A sharp inhale, followed by a hasty gasp escaped his throat, and Chloe instantly stopped with her touch.

"What's wrong?" she asked and stared at him, startled.

"Nothing," Lucifer replied, quickly putting on his mask of cockiness and indifference he'd mastered down in the depths of hell while forcing himself to breathe as quietly as possible. Under no circumstances would he let her see his true reactions to her, he silently swore to himself. "You'd just tickled me," he added in a nonchalant voice and was instantly shocked about himself, completely overhearing her whispered "sorry", as he mentally cursed at his own behaviour. He'd just lied! For the first time in his life, he didn't speak the truth. And moreover, he lied to Chloe! The woman he'd assured to never lie to, and the only soul in this universe he never _wanted_ to lie to. But still, he just did. What in all the world? He only hoped she would forgive him for it if it would come out. It was just, he didn't know how to continue living with her knowing how much effect she had on him while he couldn't act out on it with her. Why couldn't she be like the other women who flung themselves at him? It would have been so much easier if she simply had sex with him; then he would have all these inconvenient emotions finally out of his system, he was sure of that. But no! She was so damn stubborn.

He sucked in his breath again, trying to not let out that relieved sigh that was crawling up his throat as he felt her fingers finally move upwards to his shoulders and his less sensitive skin. Her hands went around his neck and down his back, brushing over his scars and suddenly he hissed in pain.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry!" Chloe cried out and pulled her hands away from his back.

"Wrong recipient!" Lucifer countered cockily, smirking widely, as he felt all other emotions instantly dying down at the sudden ache, giving him the much-needed relief from his arousal. "It's alright," he calmly confirmed her as she still hadn't continued with further exploring his body.

"Does it hurt when I touch your scars?" she asked, eyeing him with worry and sympathy. She still was sensitive on her scar from when Jimmy Barnes had shot her a year ago, and it was just a little bullet hole. Him having scars spanning over half of his back that had been inflicted five years ago... she couldn't even imagine how much these would hurt.

Lucifer thought about her question, not knowing how to best describe it. He definitely didn't want to lie to her again but decided that she didn't need to know everything, as well. "Normally not, but sometimes it gives me some strange sensations, and they are overwhelming," he explained to her, dropping that part that _sometimes_ actually meant when _she_ touched them. Maybe it was because of his mortality that occurred around her, that let him feel this pain on his back.

Remembering their last encounter in his apartment where she'd seen his scars for the first time, she inquired warily, "Did this happen the last time I touched them?"

"Yes, that's why I turned around so quickly," he answered truthfully and stretched his lips into a smile to convince her that everything was fine. Seeing her sad eyes staring back at him was something that caused a strange pressure on his chest, in an unpleasant way, and he wanted her mood to lighten up again.

"OK," Chloe confirmed quietly, nodding to herself. "I'll try not to touch them again," she assured him and was about to move her arms back around his neck when his voice stopped her in her action.

"No, please touch them." Seeing her confused look, he added, "It's alright. I told you to touch me, I can handle it," he reassured her, and his dark brown eyes stared at her determined.

She shook her head, the concern and care for him still evidently in her face. "I don't want to hurt you, Lucifer," she told him with a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"Chloe, you're not hurting me," he affirmed her sincerely, completely letting slip under the table that the pain would also prevent himself from any further unwanted feelings. He fully sat up and gently took her wrists, placing them back around his neck. He lowered his hands and stroke along her forearms to assure her once again that everything was alright before he let go of her and rested his arms around her waist.

They locked their eyes with each other, and Chloe had to concentrate really hard not to get lost too much into this soothing brown colour of his irises. She sighed and nodded at him while her fingers played with the soft, small hairs at his hairline without her conscious mind having even registered what she was doing. Breaking the eye contact, this motion went directly into her frontal lobe and her hands froze in place. Her eyes instantly went back to his chest, and then she turned her head as a smile she couldn't hold back started to stretch her lips, hoping he hadn't seen it. Hearing the low chuckle, she, once again, was confirmed he had, but this time it didn't keep her smile from stretching into a full toothy grin.

Chloe sighed once more and went back to _business_. She shifted forward to make herself taller and get a better view on his back. Yes, he'd said she could touch his scars, but she was determined to do this as gently as possible, knowing that he was too proud to show her if he was in actual pain again.

Lucifer tightened his grip around her, placing his chin on her shoulder and pressing her body further into him, as he felt her fingers running down his back again. They barely touched his scar tissue but the sensation was already enough to let him suck in his breath sharply. It felt like his wings would be cut off again, and he clenched his teeth and dug his fingers into the material of her tank top. Closing his eyes to better concentrate on the warm body in his arms, he breathed out slowly, exhaling the pain, and in return, was rewarded with her sweet scent that reached his nostrils with every inhale. Chloe was very gentle with him as she continued caressing the skin on his back, and each time she came across his scars, the pinching and burning sensation lessened and slowly turned into a warm, tingling feeling, heating him up from the inside and letting him relax into her soft touch. Her increasing pressure on his back added more fuel to this pleasant feeling, and soon he found himself back in his aroused state and had to fight his own desire again. He suppressed the groan that was on the tip of his tongue, concentrating on breathing. Was nothing spared from him right now?

Swallowing down the frustration, he once again concluded in his head: Yes, a fight with his brother was definitely much more appealing right now, or a fight with demons. Heck, even all demons and all angels together against him. _Anything_ was easier compared to having her sit in his lap, closely pressed to his body, moving her fingers over his skin, stirring up all those feelings in him, and not be allowed to do anything, nothing at all, to get even the slightest bit of relief. Oh how much he wanted to throw her back onto the mattress and pin her down, rip those clothes off of her, run his hands over her body, and make her writhing and panting with pleasure underneath him...

As the thoughts became too vivid in his mind, he found that something else began to stir up on him. He was barely quick enough to grab her and lift her off of him so she wouldn't recognise what exactly it was, sending her down on the mattress with a loud thud in the process, and hastily standing up from the bed. "This should be enough for now. I meet you downstairs," he commented swiftly and was through the door to his dressing room before she could even form a reply in her head.

Chloe stared at the door he had disappeared behind, flabbergasted and not quite processing what'd just happened. Did she press her fingers too hard on his scars? Was he in pain and just didn't want to show her? She didn't know but held herself back from going after him. She knew he probably needed to be alone right now, and being alone herself wasn't that bad either, she concluded as she did a quick check between her legs. Damn it! She was dripping wet and hadn't even registered it. She just hoped he hadn't fled the room so hastily _because_ he'd noticed it. Getting up quickly herself, she went directly into her bathroom to dry herself off and make herself ready.

Lucifer stood in the shower, his forehead leant against the hard tiles as he let the ice cold water run down his body, looking down on his penis that still stood at attention. Damn! Why did this have to happen just now? He always had himself under control, was able to get it up and down howsoever he wanted, but no, it had to be different with the detective, of course! He sighed in frustration and pressed his head further against the tiles, letting out a groan that was half swallowed by the sound of the pouring water. Glancing down at himself, for a moment he considered to give himself some relief but quickly decided against it. It wouldn't be relief at all to lend a hand on himself, now after he had let her hands run over his upper body and was still feeling the ghost of her fingertips on his skin. He wanted her hands back, her body closely pressed into his own; anything else was less than acceptable, and so he shifted the tap to a warmer setting and made himself ready for the day.

/-/

Dressed in her shorts from the day before and a new long shirt that hung loosely around her shoulders, its sleeves rolled up, a matching tank top underneath, Chloe walked down the stairs and into the kitchen area.

"Finally," Lucifer exclaimed cheerfully as he heard her approaching, briefly looking up at her, before he turned his attention back to mixing the ingredients of their breakfast with a whisk. "I really don't get what takes you so long in the shower," he mentioned teasingly and applied some more pepper to the mixture before he stepped to the stove, put half of it into the big pan, and switched on the flame.

Chloe eyed him warily. She didn't know whether he played it all cool because, in his opinion, nothing had happened up there, or because he was uncomfortable speaking about it. In either case, it would be wise not to bring up the topic herself, she concluded and decided to play along. "I just unpacked the last boxes upstairs," she explained and flashed him a smile.

Lucifer stopped stirring the omelette with a spatula and stared at her, puzzled. "The last boxes?" he repeated half of her words. "Didn't you have enough time yesterday to do that?" he asked and fixed his eyes on her for a bit before he turned back to the food in front of him, stirring some more.

"No," she simply answered, elucidating further, "Yesterday, I was busy with going through all the collected information we got from the vice department. I wanted to know if they already had some information about that Patricia, and then I went through some more files so we're prepared tonight," she ended, but then quickly added to make it more specific, "For the party."

"Really?" Lucifer rolled his eyes, chuckling about her typical behaviour. He increased the heat to let the omelette firm up faster and turned around. Facing her fully, he asked teasingly, "It's a party, Chloe, what bad things could possibly happen there? That they run out of drinks?"

Chloe leant against the kitchen counter, cluelessly shrugging her shoulders and voicing the first thing that came up into her mind, "They could be a bunch of cannibals."

"Patricia didn't look like a cannibal to me. Trust me, I know how these guys look," he countered, adding with a smug grin, "Well, I'm quite sure that she wanted to eat me, but not to fill her stomach if you know what I mean?" He turned back around, flipping the omelette.

"You're disgusting!" Chloe countered, making a gag face and earning a chuckle from him. She stepped to the sink, grabbed a glass and poured herself some water, downing half of its content in one go to satisfy her sudden thirst before she put it on the counter.

"Trust me, we will go there, have a nice chat with some of the residents, get to know them, drink, eat, dance, and then we go back home and plot about taking down that killer," he told her optimistically and took the pan from the stove, tilting it to let the omelette slide onto a plate. Then, he put the pan back on the stove, pouring the rest of the mixture into it.

"Sounds good," Chloe affirmed, nodding. If it really could be that easy, she thought. Unfortunately, she already knew the truth. She enjoyed their casual conversation and wanted it to keep going, so she decided to let something slip that she normally was adamant to hide. "Except for the dancing," she mentioned and glimpsed at him to see his reaction.

Lucifer let the spatula drop to the side abruptly, and turned around, a perplexed stare directed at her as he wondered baffled, "What about the dancing?"

"Nothing much," she answered casually and shrugged her shoulders. Her eyes wandered around the room while she plucked up all her courage to tell him, "Just that I can't really dance, and therefore don't do it." His eyes pierced through her in expectation of a proper explanation, and Chloe shrugged her shoulders again, searching for the right words in her mind before she elucidated, "When I was little, my mother took me to these dancing classes. There was this teacher who always rebuked me in front of the whole class for being the worst dancer he'd ever had to teach. All the other kids were laughing at me. So, one day I decided I don't want to dance any more. I really felt better afterwards," she added to make it sound less dramatic.

A worried frown had shown up between his brows as he listened to her words. He saw it evidently in her eyes that it was difficult for her to speak about it, and he wanted to change her thoughts on that right away to some more pleasant ones. Hoping there must be at least one good memory for her in connection with dancing, he asked curiously, "But what about your wedding day? Isn't this the day when it's an obligation to dance, and a duty to enjoy it?" After all, he'd seen all those videos, uploaded on YouTube, where the freshly married couples danced, laughed, and everyone was happy.

"Well," Chloe started and put her hands into the back pockets of her shorts, slightly rocking back and forth on her feet as she disclosed to him, "I broke my leg a couple of weeks earlier and was still wearing a cast at the wedding. Therefore, I didn't have to dance. And nobody minded anyway; my mother took up the whole dancefloor, and gathered all the attention," she ended, adding a smile to her face; after all, that was a piece of luck for her.

"You've broken your leg? Sounds like this marriage was ill-fated from the start, then," Lucifer commented dryly and turned around, stirring the omelette, unperturbed by the annoyed glare she was sending him. Why did it always happen that, when he got to know something about Chloe's past, it was something negative? he thought, and again, that strange pressure on his chest appeared. He took in a deep breath, sorting his thoughts, and then decided she needed a good memory about dancing; and he would provide her with one, he concluded. This would definitely lighten up her mood, and his as well, he thought to himself and turned around, a big smile on his face, as he announced cheerfully, "Well, this time you won't get off the hook." He walked to the radio that was integrated in the built-in kitchen and switched it on, searching through the stations for a happy song while he mentioned in passing, "Call it a preparation for our undercover case." Having finally found the perfect tune, he turned to her, stepped closer with a cheeky smile plastered on his face, and declared as he grasped both her hands, "Now I'll show you how to dance."

Chloe shook her head, her eyes filled with refusal, and leant with her full body against his attempts to pull her towards the spacious entrance area. "Lucifer, you really don't have to. I have two left feet," she bluffed it out, her voice slightly trembling, hoping he would let go of her, but he was too strong and simply dragged her along.

Her struggles were completely ignored by him and he pulled her into him with a jerk as they've reached the middle of the free space. With one arm clasped around her waist, holding tight, his other hand had hers firmly encompassed. He started to move, pulling her along to the rhythm of the music and alternately whirled them both around, or rocked back and forth, determined to not let go of her hand or body while they danced to the song.

"I really can't dance," Chloe cried, making a last attempt to get herself out of that situation, but he didn't listen at all. She wanted to be mad at him, wanted to glare at him until he would let go of her eventually, but somehow it didn't work. She actually enjoyed all the whirling and rocking, and not just because it was him she was dancing with, or the song that happened to be one of her favourites; she enjoyed the dancing itself: Here, in the middle of their sting operation, in a strange house, unseen from any other pair of eyes. Giggling from the giddy feeling inside of her, she firmly gripped his upper arm, holding tight while he whirled them around some more, moving her other arm up and down as if they were jumping-jacks.

"You're doing very good," Lucifer praised her and a smile stretched his lips up to his ears as he heard her chuckle. Whenever she couldn't keep up with his pace, he simply pulled her closer to his body and half lifted her off the floor, making sure she wouldn't trip over her feet, or his, before he let her back on the floor again.

"My teacher would disagree," Chloe countered out of breath, grinning cheekily. Her head started to spin from all the whirling, and she was glad when finally a slower song started to play and Lucifer adapted his speed.

"You are a good dancer, Chloe," Lucifer pointed out in a suddenly serious tone, hugging her gently as he swayed both of them from side to side. "Don't ever let anyone tell you differently."

"Thank you," she replied and smiled at him. She still felt dizzy from all the spins and turns, but also something that almost could be described as a high from the dancing. Now that she was so close to him again, her heart started to speed up, making the blood rush through her veins again and bringing the thousands of butterflies in her stomach back to life. She didn't want to let go of him, not now, not when she was so safely wrapped in his arms while listening to the soft tunes of a song she wished would last forever.

Not taking his eyes off of her face, Lucifer slowed further down until they were only swaying lightly from side to side. He sighed, smiling widely, and moved her arm up to his neck, letting go so she could grasp around. He moved his free hand back down her arm, clasping around her back as he reached her shoulder area and gently pushed her further into him. She was so small in his arms, only now that they both were barefoot he realised how small actually. His eyes locked on the two perfectly formed lips of her mouth, stretched in a grin, shining bright red, and he wondered how they would feel like pressed against his own. If she would mind if he lowered himself and simply kissed her? Probably, he concluded and decided to look somewhere else to keep his mind busy. His eyes wandered upwards and locked with her two sparkling sapphires that looked so perfectly bright that he instantly lost himself in the depths of her eyes, not recognising at all that his head went lower, decreasing the space between their faces.

Suddenly, a high-pitched alarm resounded through the house, bringing Lucifer straight-away back into the here and now. He cursed silently at the missed chance but pushed it to the back of his mind as he quickly let go of her, ran to the stove, and grabbed the pan with the omelette that was now burning, putting it into the sink and extinguishing the flames with cold water.

Chloe had been startled by the sudden alarm, and the cool breeze from the lack of his protective body around her quickly brought her out of her thoughts. Quick-thinking, she grabbed one of the stools, climbed on it, and turned off the fire alarm. The fright was still in her bones and she took several deep breaths, calming herself down, while she watched him put the remains of their breakfast into the bin.

"See, there was a burning fire between us," Lucifer joked, trying to lighten up the mood, and Chloe let out a laugh. Chuckling as well, he turned towards her and saw that the stool was slightly shaking from her laughing. He feared she could fall off and quickly stepped to her, grabbing around her legs to steady her.

"Thanks, but you can let go of me," Chloe told him, assuring him with a comforting smile that she was standing safely.

Lucifer, however, had other plans, as her newest position in his arms showed him a completely new opportunity to get her back to dancing, and this time maybe even steal a kiss from her. He smirked at her mischievously, shook his head, and without a warning pulled her off of the stool and into him.

"Lucifer!" Chloe shrieked and quickly grabbed his shoulders to steady herself. She breathed a relieved sigh as she felt him letting her sink down slowly against his body, thinking that he only did this to get her feet safely on the floor. But instead, he stopped when her hips were at his waist level. "Put me down," she ordered earnestly, but again Lucifer shook his head with a smile. He shifted his arms, moving one below her butt to hold her in position and pressing her further against him with his other, as he walked them back to the entrance area. "Lucifer!" she cautioned him once again, feeling irritated that he didn't comply to her words. Despite that it annoyed her that he always had to get his own way, it also felt good to be in his arms again, and she couldn't be angry with him for long.

"Wrap your legs around my hip," Lucifer simply ordered, his head tilted backwards so he could look her straight in the eyes, watching Chloe shaking her head and sternly denying his plea. "I'm not finished dancing with you yet," he explained casually and added, smirking, "Now that nothing can disturb us any more." He started to move to the music again, repeating once more, "Wrap your legs around my hip."

"This one dance, and then you'll put me down," Chloe demanded. As she saw him nodding in agreement, she finally did what he told her and clasped her legs around him. The hand that had rested on her back moved upwards to her hand and grabbed it, while her other hand remained around his neck.

"Just this one dance," Lucifer confirmed, gently whirling both of them around, and finally Chloe started to smile again and her body relaxed against his own. "You're such a good dancer," he complimented her once more, grinning widely as he moved her arm up and down.

"I'm just holding onto you," she countered, laughing lightly. He moved his arm behind her back, causing her to bend her body backwards in the process to not get her own arm twisted, and she grabbed tighter around his neck. "What are you doing?" she asked surprised, hints of fear resounding in her tone.

"Swinging you back," he explained nonchalantly and quickly pulled her back towards his body, swaying some more and whirling her around. As soon as the music allowed another swing he repeated his move with his arm, holding tight onto her hand.

"Don't drop me," Chloe pleaded, the fear now clear in her voice, and she grabbed the collar of his shirt firmer.

"Don't worry, I won't," Lucifer assured her soothingly, softly ordering her, "Let yourself fall back and I pull you back up."

Chloe hastily shook her head, denying his order. "You'll drop me," she voiced her fear.

"I won't drop you. You can trust me," he assured her again, swaying them some more. "Just relax and enjoy the dance." He swung her back, this time a little further before he directly pulled her back, smiling reassuringly that he had everything under control.

Slowly, Chloe's fear subsided and she let him push her further and further back. His hand around her butt, holding her firmly in place, also gave her some sort of confidence that he wouldn't let her fall. He was strong, despite his appearance, she knew that. She'd seen him holding men up by their necks against a wall who were twice his weight, and so she relaxed and didn't grab his collar in panic as he let her upper body bent down so much that she was below a horizontal line. "Pull me back up!" she told him as he didn't do so right away. A low chuckle escaped her, fed by the mix of fright and an adrenaline rush. He chuckled as well but did as he was told. As she was back in an upright position, she clasped her arm firmly around his neck, not intending to let go another time.

Lucifer let go of her hand which also instantly clasped around his neck, and put his hand back on her back, running up and down to calm her and press her further against him. "You're safe, Chloe," he assured her with a voice that was barely above a whisper. "You'll always be safe in my arms," he repeated and continued swaying as the song slowly died down.

"I know," Chloe whispered back and stared down into his dark brown eyes. The remains of the adrenaline rush in her veins still caused a high, and she felt a bit giddy. Taking a deep breath to slow down her rushing heart, she finally recognised that her face was only inches from his away. She just needed to lower her head a bit more and could kiss him on his lips, she suddenly thought and quickly pushed that to the back of her head, surprised about herself and not keen to know why all of a sudden her mind was going into that direction. True, his lips looked so smooth, she really was tempted to find out how it would feel to kiss them. But he was her partner, she told herself once again, she couldn't just kiss him. Maybe she could blame it on a temporary blackout caused by all of his spins and turns, a little voice inside her head suggested, but she quickly decided against it. Chloe didn't recognise that she had unwittingly lowered her head further down to him, as her mind continued the debate, telling her that this definitely was the line she'd been thinking about this morning she couldn't step over, shouldn't, mustn't...

Suddenly the doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts, and her head shot back up. She sighed with relief, mumbling under her breath, "Saved by the bell."

"Or betrayed," Lucifer countered quietly. Once again, their chance to finally kiss had been interrupted, and it vexed him. He should have grabbed her by her head and pushed her down onto him, he thought to himself, instead of waiting for her to make the first move. But then, he couldn't have blamed it on her...

"Put me down," Chloe ordered, bringing him out of his mind. He instantly complied and she rushed to the door, opening it. "Oh, hello," Chloe greeted the security guard from the day before.

"Good morning, ma'am," he greeted her back, nodding and smiling briefly at her. "I was on my safety inspection tour as I heard an alarm coming from your house," he declared and asked with concern, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," Chloe assured him with a big smile. "It was just our breakfast that went up in smoke and released the fire alarm," she explained.

Lucifer stepped to her, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, and pulled her firmly into him. He rested his chin against her head, smiling smugly at the security guard, and added, "We got a little distracted, but I can assure you, everything is alright. No harm's done."

The security guard nodded understandingly. "Alright," he replied. "Please be more careful the next time," he cautioned them and smiled pleased as he saw both of them nodding at him. Fishing in his pocket for an ID card, he handed it over to Chloe, stating, "This is my card with all important phone numbers on it. If you need any help, regardless of the time, make a call and I'll send someone over. I'll be off, then." He nodded towards them, stepping some steps back before he added a little louder so they could still hear him clearly, "And welcome to the neighbourhood." With that, he turned around and walked back to his car at a quick pace.

When Chloe had the door closed again, Lucifer commented sternly, "I don't like that guy."

Chloe looked up at him. "Why? Because he's security?" she asked him teasingly, knowing all too well about his aversion to these type of people.

Lucifer shook his head. "He was sizing you up," he answered and pursed his lips. Not feeling the need to add that this man also stirred up a queasy feeling inside of him. Most humans had an aura or scent around them that instantly let him know if they were good or bad. Chloe, for instance, had that sweet distinct smell of a very good person, and he could make her out among thousands of people without even having to look. It was really rare for humans to have no such visual or olfactory marker, and this guy was one of them. He couldn't pin him down and this gave him a sense of loss of control, and Lucifer hated it not to be in control.

"Well, I'm an attractive woman," Chloe replied cheekily and brought him out of his thoughts.

He looked down at her, smiling smugly. "I know. But you're _my_ wife!" he pointed out, emphasising the 'my'.

Chloe chuckled at that and waited another moment before she reminded him, "You can let go of me now."

Lucifer stared at her, now recognising that he still held her firmly in his arms. "Right!" he replied a little sheepishly, and instantly let go, taking a step back to bring some distance between them. "I'll go and make a new breakfast. The first omelette is probably cold by now."

"Do that," she affirmed and stepped towards the direction of the living room. "I'll go and inspect the collected information some more," she declared and headed off, adding before she was out of earshot, "Call me when it's ready."

/-/

' _That's it! Enough!_ ' Chloe told herself and frustratedly gave up. For more than ten minutes by now, she had been standing in front of the mirror in her dressing room, alternating between holding the lime green dress and the apricot one in front of her, unable to decide which one of them she should wear to the party. They both looked good on her; they both looked the same to her, except for the colour and some minor differences in the cut. And this was enough to drive her to despair. She sighed, admitting defeat, and called loudly, "Lucifer! I need your help."

The man in question instantly appeared in the door frame, a lewdly grin on his face as he spotted her in nothing but that small satin bathrobe she was wearing, tightly wrapped around herself. Thinking he already knew her question, he simply offered, wetting his lips, "Anytime, my dear."

Chloe rolled her eyes, grumbling at him for his allusion before she sighed hopelessly. "What dress shall I wear?" she asked and held up the two.

Voicing a silent 'Oh,' he sighed as well, albeit for a completely different reason, and tilted his head. "Really? Haven't you learnt anything from our little shopping trip?" he asked rhetorically and fully stepped into the room. "This one is too formal," he answered, gesturing towards the left one. Then he moved his hand to the right one, and stated, "This one, not formal enough."

"What? It's just a garden party," Chloe cried out, puzzled and completely overwhelmed.

This time, Lucifer rolled his eyes, walked up to her closet, and rummaged through her dresses. "A, it's a pool party, not garden," he pointed out, briefly glancing at her before he turned his attention back to the dresses, looking for a more suitable one, and continued, "And b, we are an upper-class couple, so you have to think like an upper-class lady." He looked to the side, commenting to himself "here we are," as he took out a dress and turned around, holding it out to Chloe.

She stared at him, perplexed, furrowing her brows. "Where is the difference to these two?"

He gaped. For a moment, he considered explaining it to her, but then decided it would be a wasted time, she wouldn't understand it anyway. "Just – put it on," he commanded and handed it over, taking the other two dresses from out of her hands in the process, and then put them back onto the clothes hook. Without being asked, he made a turnaround to the sideboard on the other side of the room, looking for the matching earrings and necklace.

"Well, thanks for your help," Chloe replied with a smile. As he didn't react, she added, hoping he would get the hint, "I'm changing now."

"Yes, yes, please do that. We're running late, anyway," he commented nonchalantly, still busy with finding the fitting jewellery. "Ah, there we go," he exclaimed as he finally found the perfect ones, and turned around to present them to her. "Why are you still in your bathrobe?" he asked flabbergasted.

Chloe tilted her head, slightly miffed at his question, and flatly pointed out, "You're still in the room."

"So?" he countered, staring at her without seeing reason. "I've seen you naked before," he stated matter-of-factly and put the jewellery onto the sideboard.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks for the reminder," Chloe retorted, lightly shaking her head as her eyes drifted up to the ceiling. Locking them back to the man in front of her, she added, "However, this won't happen again, so could you please leave?" She opened the door a little wider, hoping that this would give him the necessary impulse to finally leave her alone.

"Depends on," Lucifer countered smugly, and wetted his lips. "What's in there for me?" he inquired teasingly, slightly lowering his head to be on the same level with hers so he could stare some more into her sea blue eyes.

She sighed deeply and mentally counted to ten to stifle the urge to clasp her fingers around his neck and squeeze tightly. She needed him, after all. ' _For the case!_ ' she told herself. Having calmed down, she breathed out the rest of her anger, and, with a soft shake of her head, commented sardonically, "So very mature of you."

Lucifer straightened himself again, one eyebrow raised in bewilderment as he riposted, pointing towards the corner, "Says the one who has a leather-wearing Hello Kitty doll sitting on her chair."

"That's ninja kitty," Chloe retorted, defending herself. "Trixie gave it to me. She thinks it will protect me."

"It's a stuffed toy," he countered, raising his voice to point out that he didn't understand at all how these little humans could think that something filled with cotton would protect them, or anyone for that matter, from any imaginary danger, let alone real one. "Well, I must admit, it bizarrely resembles Maze at a closer look," he mentioned in a nonchalant tone.

"Maybe because it is dressed after her," Chloe explained, shrugging her shoulders once. Seeing his questioning look, she elucidated further, "Dan went with her to that toy-factory two weeks ago, remember? Where they could stuff their own animals and also dress them. Trixie took a picture of Maze with her, saying she wanted exactly these clothes and they made them for her, well for the toy."

Lucifer shook his head, letting out a long sigh. "They definitely spend too much time together."

"I agree on that," she backed him up, once again holding the door open for him. "Now could you please? I don't want to be late."

"Very well," he commented, giving in, and exited the room, mumbling under his breath as he went through the door, "Just one tiny bite from the forbidden fruit and you humans get so uptight about your body."

Chloe rolled her eyes at the Bible reference, closing the door behind him. At least, she was finally undisturbed and could change now.

Lucifer went into his dressing room, took the cufflinks from out of the little box and put them on his sleeves. Then he went to the closet, taking out the matching jacket for his suit, put it on as well and went back into the bedroom, sitting down on the bed to wait for her to come out of her room.

Some more minutes went by and slowly he got impatient. Eyeing the watch on his arm again, he recognised that already seven minutes had passed since he'd left her room. ' _How long d_ _o_ _women need to put on a simple dress?'_ he asked himself and stood up again, stepped to her door, and knocked on it. "Have you dressed already?" Hearing her clear "Yes," he entered her room, spotting her sitting at the dressing table, and stated, "We're really running late."

"I just need to put on some makeup," Chloe explained casually, her eyes reflecting in the mirror of her dressing table, attentively watching him.

"Why?" he asked, puzzled, and leant against the sideboard. True, there were some women who really needed a lot of makeup to be presentable to the world, but Chloe clearly didn't belong to that group. "You're already beautiful," he pointed out, adding, "You don't need any."

Smiling towards the mirror at his unintentional compliment, Chloe took the lipstick and applied it to her lips, before she stood up and silently walked towards him.

"Oh, I like that red," he stated, a cheeky grin on his face as his eyes locked on her lips.

"Me too," Chloe countered cockily, trying not to smile too brightly to not give away how much she actually liked his reaction. She stopped in front of him and turned around, grabbing her hair and holding it up.

Knowing right away what she wanted, Lucifer took the necklace from the sideboard and put it around her neck. He looked down on her skin as his fingers fiddled with the clasp and he couldn't suppress a smirk when he spotted the fine purple colour that shone through from the otherwise well-covered love bite. He instantly remembered the moment when he was allowed to suck on her neck under the guise of their undercover operation, and thought to himself, _'If she would mind if I suck on that a little more?_ ' She'd probably say ' _No_ ', he quickly decided, but couldn't get his lips on her skin out of his mind. Lightly brushing against the soft hair on her hairline, he signalled her he was done, and bluntly pointed out, "We still haven't kissed yet."

Chloe turned around, one eyebrow raised in puzzlement at his sudden words. ' _How can h_ _e_ _... well, never mind,_ ' she broke off her thought. After all, it was Lucifer she was thinking about. It would have been more suspicious if he wouldn't constantly talk about kissing or sex, she mentally reminded herself. She eyed him warily, not being able to resist teasing him on that part as she asked him sarcastically, "Do you have a checklist to work through of ' _things I need to do during a sting operation'_?"

"No," Lucifer answered without missing a beat, but then his eyes beamed as the words sunk in and he tilted his head, declaring brightly, "That's a great idea, actually."

She stared at him, her annoyance visible on her face. Sparing a reply, she grabbed the earrings and put them on.

"What? We are married," Lucifer reminded her once again. "It would seem awkward if I don't kiss you on your mouth."

"I know," Chloe replied assuringly and sighed, making him grin. Of course, he was right. She just didn't want to admit it right away. After all, his ego was already too big to even fit into this room. She fully faced him, straightening herself, and exhaled to let it look as if she was making a sacrifice for the greater good. "That's why I allow you to kiss me on the mouth when it's suitable for our cover story _and others_ are around," she declared, emphasising the two words. "But," she halted to put some weight on the word to make clear to him that she really meant what she was about to say. "As soon as I say ' _stop'_ to you, no matter where we are or who is with us, you will stop immediately. Is that clear, Lucifer?"

Lucifer nodded sincerely, showing her that he had understood and accepted it. The smile settled back on his face as he suggested slyly, wiggling his eyebrows, "Do you want to practice with me before we leave the house?"

"What?" Chloe asked, clueless. Answering her own question, she added, "Kissing?" When she saw his eager nod accompanied by a wide grin, she retorted calmly, "I've kissed before, Lucifer. I know how to do that."

"Yes, but you've never kissed _me_ before," he countered, adding with a smug grin, "You might keel over."

"I think I can handle you." What she thought to be a smug reply, was regretted by her as soon as she saw his eyes getting big and his grin turning into a leering one before his lips parted slightly, about to voice a sexual remark. She rolled her eyes and quickly put her finger on his lips. "Don't even think about it!" she shushed his possible joke and exited the room.

/-/

"There you are," Patricia called out as they entered the garden. She quickly rushed to them. Skilfully swaying around her full champagne flute without spilling even one drop, she warmly hugged Chloe, kissing her on both cheeks, and then turned to Lucifer, who had to bend down to her to get the same treatment.

"She didn't find a dress," Lucifer blurted out the reason for their tardiness, grinning smugly and earning a glare from his _wife_.

Patricia laughed heartily and sipped on her drink before she compassionately patted Chloe on her shoulder and backed her up, "It's always the same! We ladies have to spend hours finding the perfect dress amongst thousands of them, plus the makeup, and the fitting jewellery, just to look even halfway presentable in the eyes of the lords-of-creation. And all we get in return is a rebuke for running late." She laughed at her own words.

"Speak for yourself," Lucifer advised her with a smirk. "My wife looks stunning." He grasped around Chloe, tenderly pulling her into his side and hugging her. His smirk stretched to a toothy grin as he caught sight of her sheepish smile.

"He's such a charmer," Patricia swooned over him and her eyes beamed as they fixed on his fit physique. Quickly shaking herself out of her daze, she lowered her gaze and declared, "Come on, I'll show you around."

Lucifer moved his hand to the lower part of Chloe's back as he followed her and Patricia further into the garden area, passing people chatting and swimming. As the hostess came to a halt in front of three other women, his hand moved back to its original position on Chloe's hip.

"These are Sam, Denise and Amelia," Patricia introduced the nearest neighbours from right to left, pointing to each of them in the process before she turned her body halfway, a bright sparkle in her eyes, and announced, "Girls, these are the Morans I told you about: Chloe and _Lucifer_."

The way she pronounced his name made Chloe's hair stand on end. She knew he was only her partner, and she shouldn't feel that upcoming sense of possessiveness every time a woman was near him, but she couldn't help it; how these women were looking at him now, with their moon-eyes that instantly gave away what exactly they were thinking, made her want to drag him to the next best tattoo artist and plaster a ' _mine_ ' all over his body. Swallowing down her feelings, Chloe quickly sent a friendly "Hello" into the group and soothed herself with the assuring thought that she was the only one he would be sleeping with this night. ' _Next to! Next to!_ ' she silently scolded herself at the inner faux pas.

"Pat, you've forgotten to tell us how handsome Mr Moran is," the woman introduced as Sam called out, adding a quick "and how beautiful his wife" in Chloe's direction to make it less awkward.

This woman was almost drooling on the floor, and Chloe didn't like her at all. ' _Couldn't she at least try to make it less obvious that she wanted to jump his bones?_ ' Chloe thought. Like the other two, who effectively hid their interest in her partner behind sneaking looks. She took in a deep breath, swallowing down the anger she felt, and stretched the smile up to her ears she'd mastered in years and years of hard acting training. Maybe she could also press a chuckle out of herself at the not-at-all-funny comment... or maybe not.

"Call me Lucifer, my dear," Lucifer purred and removed his hand from around Chloe's hip, holding it out to each one of the women and bending down to kiss their hands as they shook it.

Chloe wanted to strangle him for his behaviour: To play Prince Charming to this woman who had the brass neck to reduce her to a ' _wife'_ instead of addressing her at least with her surname, despite being at the minimum five years her junior. ' _Where is the respect for the elderly when you need it?_ ' Chloe thought and it brought her blood to the boil. Only thanks to her professionalism, this little fact had remained unbeknown to everyone around her. Well, everyone except for Lucifer himself, who sensed the little tension in the fingers of her hand that still rested around his waist. He instantly turned to her with that knowing smug grin, and moved his arm around her waist, gently pressing her into him and kissing her dearly on the head.

Despite the gesture, she still wanted to strangle him, now more than ever, Chloe thought to herself. That he'd move his head further down and whisper "you're still my number one" into her ear, however, was something she hadn't expected at all. In an instant, the anger vanished from out of her system, and she stared at him with surprised and flattered eyes. The lips she'd pursed to thin lines in preparation to glare at him, curled themselves up at the corners, disclosing her contradicting emotions, and Lucifer couldn't help whispering to her, "Can you get any cuter?"

Chloe tried to turn her lips back into a glare but his genuine smile reflected itself on her own features, and soon she chuckled with glee. She took a deep breath, letting out all the unpleasant emotions with a low huff, and removed her hand from around his waist, clasped it around his arm, and lightly snuggled into him as she turned her attention back to the group.

"Your name really is Lucifer?" Amelia asked curiously when the couple's heads had turned back to them from their little private chat.

"Yes," Lucifer replied delightedly.

Chloe noticed that he'd built himself up like a sparrow, ready to ruffle its feathers at the next best mate that's coming along. And she almost choked on her suppressed laugh at the reference. Lucifer stared down at her, a little miffed at the inept snort, and she tenderly squeezed his arm to apologise.

"Sam, stop drooling! They are married. Happily!" a man, slightly older than Lucifer, stated loudly as he approached the group, handing a glass of champagne to Chloe, who instantly liked him not just for the drink, and a bottle of beer to Lucifer, who nodded politely and took it. "I'm Matthew, by the way, Pat's hubby," he introduced himself, smiling warmly at the new arrivals, and added with a wink, "Call me Matt. And welcome to the neighbourhood."

"Are you freshly married?" Denise asked with a beam in her eyes.

She seemed to be the youngest of the group, Chloe noticed; she still had that sparkle in her eyes that young people got before reality took over. Getting aware that neither of them had answered her question yet, Chloe shrugged her shoulders, smiling at her, and replied, "Well, it's half a year by now. I don't know if you still consider this as fresh."

The group laughed at her unintended joke, and Denise's eyes beamed even brighter. "Really? Since when do you know each other?"

"Denise!" Patricia instantly rebuked her. "Stop grilling our neighbours. They haven't even fully arrived yet."

The young woman raised her shoulders and dug her head as she apologised with a low, sheepish "I'm sorry." When Chloe sent her a warm smile, assuring her that it was fine, she relaxed again.

"I'm getting the other girls. They have to get to know you, Chloe," Patricia announced cheerfully and instantly made her way over to the people at the pool.

Matt laughed out again as she rushed away. "That's my wife," he exclaimed proudly and took another sip. "Come Lucifer, I bet you don't want to stay here with all these girls. I'll show you the house," he offered, took a step to the side, and patiently waited for him to approach.

Lucifer nodded, smiling. Normally, he would have preferred to stay with the ladies. He simply loved all their attention, but knew, as long as he was around, Chloe was signed out, and she needed to have a good rapport with them to get further information about the residents, and thereby find the killer among them. He would simply approach them when they were on their own, he thought to himself and was about to go as he felt Chloe's grip around his arm tightening. He turned towards her, bending down.

With a bright smile plastered on her face, Chloe whispered into his ear as it was within reach, sending him a warning, "Don't you dare and leave me alone with them!"

He chuckled lightly and soothingly caressed her fingers as he whispered back, "You're strong and smart. You can handle them." He quickly kissed her on the cheek, released himself from her grip, and stepped over to Matt.

Chloe watched them disappear inside the house before she turned her attention back to the women in front of her. She smiled brightly at them but sighed deeply into her drink as she took a big gulp of her champagne.

"I love my wife, but when she starts talking... she never stops again," Matt informed Lucifer as they walked down the corridor. He directed him to the left, showing him around, and added nonchalantly, "Is your wife also a chatterbox?"

"No, she's," Lucifer replied right away, but had to think a little to find a word that could best describe her. His lips turned towards his eyes as he ended, "Special."

Matt eyed him with a cheeky smile, knowing that look on the other man's face all too well, as he commented the words with a casual, "Uh-huh." Eyeing the still full bottle in Lucifer's hand, he pointed towards it, asking, "How's the beer?"

"Well, I'm not really into beer, actually," Lucifer answered truthfully and handed it over to Matt's outstretched hand.

"Me neither," Matt admitted and chuckled, putting both bottles down on a sideboard. "What colour do you prefer?" he inquired and observed him from out of the corners of his eyes.

"Auburn," he answered shortly and grinned at him.

Matt's eyes beamed at the insight, and he guided him towards his study. "I think, I've got just the right thing for you, then," he announced and stepped to a cupboard, opening it and retrieving a bottle of Glenfiddich Private Vintage Single Malt of 1976.

"Matthew, you are a man of good taste," Lucifer purred, his eyes beaming as well. He watched the other one getting two glasses and pouring each a double one, before he took the offered drink, swaying the glass in his hand, inhaling the fragrance, and finally taking a sip. "That's indeed a good year," he cajoled as the precious liquid slowly ran down his throat, thereby unfolding its full taste.

"My favourite," Matt declared, nodding. "Only for special events," he announced and added with a grin, "And only special people." He closed the cupboard again and took his own glass in his hand. "The others don't really like whisky. They are more the champagne and wine types," he told him.

Lucifer's eyes turned big in bewilderment. "How can anyone ever refuse a good Scottish whisky?" he asked rhetorically, appalled, and instantly took another sip to calm himself down.

"I concur!" Matt agreed with him, nodding and raising his glass before he took a second sip.

Lucifer looked around the room which was rather cosy decorated, with a big bookcase on one side, a desk right beside it, and three comfy looking chairs around a small table in front of a fireplace almost in the middle of the room. The cupboard, harbouring the precious liquid, in contrast, looked rather lonely in its corner, only accompanied by the big window that spun across the entire width of the wall. Lucifer looked out of it towards the guests of the party and instantly spotted Chloe, standing surrounded by six women now, laughing and chatting. He smiled at the carefree appearance of her and decided that this moment was a keeper. Taking out his phone, he quickly shot a picture, and four more, in case the first one was blurred. He took a look at them and recognised that a man had been approaching the group, and looked back up and out of the window to see where he was.

Matt eyed Lucifer for a brief moment before he followed his gaze outside. "Protective or insecure?" he asked him nonchalantly, a smirk on his lips after he turned his attention back to Lucifer.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes on the group. The man, now standing amongst them, was in his mid-fifties, radiated dominance, and stood a bit too close to Chloe for his liking. He instantly wanted to go back out, but hesitated, knowing that Chloe had everything under control, and if not, she would let him know. Ignoring the other's question, he asked in a taut voice, "Who is that?"

Matt sighed sympathetically, knowing the tension of his younger fellow all too well. His eyes fell back on the group outside as he answered, "That is Curtis McClain; we all call him McClain. He is nice," he pointed out, adding a well-intended, "In his own way." He briefly glanced over at the man next to him before he locked his eyes back on McClain, elucidating further, "He's been here since the beginning, 25 years by now. He owns the house on the hill in the middle of Riveroak. Or as I prefer to call it: The hill-house." He chuckled at his own reference but quickly stopped as he didn't hear Lucifer chime in. "You don't like him, huh?" he asked, sounding amused.

Lucifer attentively watched Chloe as she turned to McClain and talked to him with a polite smile on her face. To every bystander, this would seem like a nonchalant chat between peers, but not to him: By turning towards the man, Chloe had significantly increased the space between them, that had been reduced again by him stepping forward. Also, her smile looked a little too fake for Lucifer's liking. And then the stolen glance she sent towards the house only added up to his suspicion. "No," he finally answered Matt's question dryly, while his attention was riveted on the two outside.

Matt laughed out loud, unperturbed by the other's tensed posture. He patted Lucifer on the back once, informing him, "None of us did in the beginning. Don't worry, soon you'll love him."

Lucifer turned to Matt, his facial expression straight but menacing. "I highly doubt that," he replied determined, adding a polite "if you don't mind," before he went past him, not waiting for a reply.

"Go, get your girl, pal," Matt called after him, chuckling.

"She's not a girl!" Lucifer countered before he was out of the room, heading for the terrace door.

With few large steps he'd covered the distance from the house to the group, and directly stepped in between Chloe and McClain, wearing a big cheeky smile on his face, as he raised his glass to the man in greeting, and put his arm around her, gently pulling her into a hug and kissing her temple. "I see the group has grown," he addressed the new ladies with another raise of his glass, before he turned his full attention to Chloe, asking her, "Having fun?" His nonchalant sounding question had that special undertone that translated only to her what he was actually asking, but couldn't voice aloud: ' _Are you alright?'_

Chloe smiled at him, a real, genuine one that directly sent him an unspoken ' _thank you for having my back'._ She placed her arm back around his waist, hidden from anyone's eyes by his jacket, as she snuggled into him, nodding, and answered, "Always."

"That's _Lucifer_ ," Sam introduced him to the others, emphasising his name and leering at him once again.

McClain held his hand out to him, politely introducing himself, "I'm McClain, nice to meet you."

Lucifer nodded towards him, smiling in a friendly manner, but countered, "I'd shake your hand, but unfortunately, they're both in use." As if to show him, he held up his glass once more and hugged Chloe closer.

McClain eyed him warily, but then chuckled at his behaviour, "I like him," he announced to the group before he turned back to Lucifer and added with a wolfish grin, "But I like your wife more."

The women in the group instantly started to laugh, and as far as Lucifer and Chloe could tell, their laughs and chuckles seemed real. They shot a glance at each other, reassuring that the other one was also suspicious of the man, before Lucifer turned around, cocking his head, and replied smugly, "Speaking of, is there a Mrs McClain?"

"I'm right here, my dear," a woman opposite him piped up. She smiled at him, raising her flute to mimic his gesture, and introduced herself in a charming manner, "I'm Dolores."

Lucifer smiled back at her and nodded politely. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything," he stated as he got aware that all eyes were on him now.

"No, my dear," Dolores assured him, adding in a cheerful voice, "We were just speaking about Chloe's previous marriage."

"Oh, with the douche," Lucifer replied without a second thought, making it sound very clear how much he liked Dan. The other women giggled and chuckled at that, and his grin turned back into a cheeky smile. Only Chloe didn't like his reaction at all, and she rebuked him under her breath, using his own name.

"And what about you?" Dolores wanted to know. She'd been the only one who hadn't laughed at all, she'd observed him the whole time with a pleased smile as if she'd known him from a long forgotten time. "Is this your first marriage?" she specified as he didn't answer her right away.

"Yes," Lucifer confirmed immediately, nodding once and adding, "And my last one. I intend to," he turned his head to Chloe and looked her directly in the eyes as he ended, "keep that woman till she dies."

Chloe's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment she didn't know whether he just was playing his role or spoke from the bottom of his heart. That little voice inside of her, however, wished it so badly to be true, she had to lower her gaze to not get carried away emotionally and either burst into tears or pull him down and snog him senseless.

While the other women instantly broke out in "awe", "listen to this!" and "that is true love," McClain only raised his eyebrow and commented flatly, "Or possessiveness."

"You again!" Patricia scolded him, playfully slapping his arm, and the others started to laugh again.

Even McClain laughed heartily at that and hugged Patricia. He pecked her cheek and, only recognised by Lucifer's sharp eyes, squeezed her butt. "Anyhow, I've got to go back to my business. Have a nice party, and we'll see us tomorrow," he said his goodbye to the group and turned to Chloe and Lucifer, who'd instantly replaced his narrowed eyes with an open expression and a cheeky smile. "It really is a pleasure to have you two in our neighbourhood. I'll give a house party tomorrow evening. I'll see you there at 10. Pat and Matt will show you the way if you have any trouble finding it," he told them and even added a smile.

Chloe snuggled a little further into Lucifer as she politely declined, "Thank you very much, but we prefer to stay at home tomorrow."

McClain's smile turned into a delighted grin and he replied, "Darling, that wasn't a request." He nodded his goodbye to the group once more, before he turned around and left.

Chloe stared at Lucifer, baffled, and Lucifer pressed her against himself quickly to make clear to her that, whatever she was thinking right now, he had the same thought.

Patricia chuckled lightly, interrupting their silent talk as she stepped closer, and put a hand on Lucifer's arm, her face turned to Chloe, telling them assuringly, "Don't worry, he's actually really nice."

"Of course he is," Lucifer retorted, his lips stretched into a big, sarcastic smile, and Chloe had to dig her fingers into his side to caution him not to make any more snide remarks. He turned his attention to her, asking her warmly, "Are you cold, love?"

"A little bit," she answered, nodding, and was glad that he also needed a little space from this group right now.

"I'll better bring you inside then," he mumbled against the skin of her forehead and planted a sweet kiss on the spot. He turned his attention to the group, stating in a decent tone, "I hope you don't mind." As they replied with their ' _No_ 's and ' _Sure_ 's, he walked Chloe into the house, asking her on the way inside, "Did you have a nice chat with them?"

"Actually, yes," Chloe answered and couldn't hide the surprise in her voice at that. "Well, until this McClain showed up. He gave me the creeps," she added, and snuggled a little closer to him as the sheer mention of this man's name caused a shiver down her spine, and not in a pleasant way. She felt Lucifer's hand running up and down her arm to soothe her, and, deciding to distract her mind, she kept on talking, "Anyhow, the others are really nice, except for that woman called Sam. I don't like her," she declared and shook her head to underline her statement.

"I wonder why," Lucifer teased her, and chuckled as she lightly slapped his chest. They entered the living area, and he led her to a table in the far back, briefly removing his arm from her, to grab a new champagne flute and hand it over to Chloe.

She instantly took a big gulp, downing almost half of its content, before she continued in a hushed tone, "Just, what I don't understand: They said it's a high-class neighbourhood, but everything here seems so normal, except for the big houses." She took another sip from her glass and stared at him, perplexed as she spotted his smug grin.

"Well, that's the illusion they want to give you," he countered, taking a sip from his whisky and waiting for her to take another one from her glass before he mentioned to her, "That's a 400 dollar champagne you're just drinking." Chloe almost spat out the liquid and coughed loudly as she choked on the prickling alcohol that went down the wrong pipe. Lucifer chuckled amused, but also patted her back for comfort and kissed her on the head once more. "Come, I'll show you around," he told her quietly after she'd recovered, and guided her into a corridor.

/-/

Chloe stood in the long hallway, admiring the countless pictures: Some were showing only Pat and her husband, or Pat and the women she'd first introduced them to, others showed a larger crowd of people, even with the McClains, and soon Chloe assumed that these were pictures from all the residents in Riveroak State. The brief conversations she'd had with the respective people came back to her mind when she spotted them in the pictures and she smiled to herself. Yes, these people were really nice and kind, but also showed some weirdness as soon as a group of more than three people found together. Then, they instantly seemed to get into their own state of mind. She couldn't imagine that one of them was an ice-cold killer, not even this McClain guy seemed like one. Rather like the one who sues you and throws you out of your house kind of guy, she thought to herself, and took some more steps, further looking through the pictures.

She spotted a photo showing Matt, a man she'd already seen at the party but didn't know his name, and a man who was unbeknown to her but stirred up a feeling of strange familiarity. She unintentionally started to chuckle and shook her head as she thought back at the moment when Matt had spotted her and Lucifer talking to someone, had approached them at a quick pace, and had dragged Lucifer away from her before one could even ask what was going on. Lucifer had actually looked a little lost to her, and she was about to go after them, as she heard Matt mentioning the word whisky. Lucifer's eyes beamed instantly, and she knew he would be fine.

She heard footsteps coming closer and looked into the direction, spotting Amelia in the hallway smiling at her, and Chloe smiled back, sending a quiet but warm "hi" to her.

"Hey," Amelia replied in an equally warm tone, leaving a discrete gap as she stopped next to her. "I'm officially announced to keep you some company while our men play cards," she told her and let out a small snicker.

"Alright." Chloe turned her eyes back at the pictures, commenting nonchalantly, "You really seem like a tight community."

Amelia nodded eagerly. "Yeah! Just like a big family. Whenever someone has a problem, we all are there for them."

Chloe noticed the hint of sorrow flashing up in the other woman's eyes, but decided not to act on it; for now, at least. She turned her head back to the pictures, commenting with a smile, "I hope one day we'll fit in as well."

"Oh, I have no doubt about that," Amelia responded and fully turned to her, a bright smile on her face as she bent forward and whispered, "Your husband is already admitted into the holy group of Skat players." She chuckled some more, straightened herself again and added, "That's a card game."

"I know what it is," Chloe affirmed cheerfully. She took a deep breath, exhaling away the upcoming gloom about the memory as she told her, "My dad taught me how to play it."

Amelia nodded understandingly, assuming, "And you taught your husband?"

"No," she shook her head and confessed with a surprised grin, "I didn't even know he could play it."

"Don't worry. When you're married as long as Kelly and me, you will know everything from each other," Amelia assured her warmly.

Chloe vehemently shook her head, contradicting, "I don't want that. Lucifer surprises me almost every day; not with big things, or words. Sometimes it's just a gesture, but that is what I want. I like it when he's not fully predictable," she explained and instantly thought back at the moment in the garden. Even if it had been played by him, his words sounded so honest, they still warmed her heart.

"When it doesn't get ordinary?" Amelia rephrased, attentively watching her to see if this was what she meant.

Chloe smiled at her, but shook her head quickly, declaring, "I have nothing against the ordinary. It's just, I don't like boredom."

"Ah." Amelia nodded towards her, finally having understood. "Did you have that in your first marriage?"

For a short moment she thought about it, but then shook her head once again. It had only been the fact that the job was always more important to Dan than she or Trixie, that had really let them drift apart from each other; this and the fact that she never felt for him like the feelings which recently arose in her when she was with a certain person.

"I hope I'm not stepping over a line here," Amelia started and instantly reminded Chloe that she was actually standing with another person and shouldn't drift off into her own world. "Please tell me if so, but you've said before, you've got divorced and remarried within two weeks. Was Lucifer the reason for, well, the break-up?"

"No," Chloe replied, determined, shaking her head to underline it. "Dan and I had been separated long before Lucifer appeared in my life. We actually only stayed married because of our daughter. But then, I met Lucifer, and, well," she stopped and smiled, lost in thoughts as the memories came back into her mind. "It was time to move on. And I wanted to have a clear end before I start something new with him."

Amelia nodded, a big sympathetic smile on her lips, and couldn't suppress the chuckle as she commented, "But then you married him right away."

"Yeah," she confessed a little sheepishly. "He didn't want to wait."

"So he proposed to you?" Amelia tossed in.

"Yes," Chloe confirmed and wrote herself a mental note to later inform him of that fact as well. "Guess he was afraid I get second thoughts," she joked, and both women started to giggle. After their laughter subsided, Chloe subtly changed the focus of the conversation to get back to business, "How long have you been living here?"

Amelia took a deep breath, moving her pupils into the upper left corner while she mentioned, "Let me think." A moment had passed, but then she stated calmly, sounding a little overwhelmed herself, "It will be six years by the end of the year."

"That's a long time," Chloe remarked impressed, with a nod of her head.

"Yeah," the other one replied and sighed again before she went on, "We moved here because we wanted a secure surrounding for our daughter." She glanced to Chloe, seeing her surprised look, and added, "She's a teenager now, living in a boarding school in Switzerland, and basically spends only half of her holidays with us, the other half, she's with our parents."

"Oh, I couldn't do that," Chloe remarked, hoping that she didn't hurt the other one's feelings with that. "I'd miss my daughter too much to send her to a boarding school. I mean, I already miss her now, and it's been, what, three days since I've seen her."

"So she will move here as well?" Amelia asked warily.

Chloe shook her head, getting suspicious about the concern the other woman had instantly shown. She put her thoughts to the back of her head, smiling at her warmly, and answered, "No. She's living with her dad. I didn't want her to change school or something like that. She has all her friends there, and I'll visit her on the weekends and call her every day," she explained and became more suspicious when she saw relief in the other woman's features.

"And you and Lucifer, do you want children of your own?" Amelia asked further, curious.

She laughed at the idea of that, and shook her head, explaining, "Lucifer despises children." When she heard Amelia's perplexed ' _Oh_ ', she quickly added with gesturing air quotes to emphasise that it were Lucifer's words that would follow, "But my daughter is fine."

Amelia couldn't help the chuckle from escaping her throat. She smiled back, and quizzed her further, "And your little one? Does she like the new man in mommy's life?"

Her answer was a big nod before Chloe's voice followed, "She adores him." Remembering the perfect story to build up more trust in the other woman, she continued, "And he, well," she let out a chuckle and then told the tale, "Her friend got a new doll, an All-American Doll, and she wanted one, too. I declined, her dad declined. So, she destroyed her old doll, expecting us to buy her that new one. We still declined. And Lucifer," she halted again, her eyes grew big, sparkling, and she shook her head once more about his behaviour as she went on, "Lucifer instantly bought her that 200 dollar doll because he was so impressed with her manipulation attempt." After a brief moment, she added, "And he was convinced that I, with not fulfilling her every wish, was doing bad parenting."

Amelia roared with laughter. "That's something my hubby would have done as well. He never can say 'no' to our daughter."

Chloe nodded, silent for a moment as she thought about whether it was appropriate or not to ask the question she had on her mind, but then decided she was a cop, this was a case, and there was no place for bad feelings about such things. "Do you miss her?" she wanted to know, referring to her daughter.

She sighed and the smile on her face disappeared completely. "Every single day she's not with us." Taking another deep breath, she added, "It had been easier before. My best friend Cassandra used to live here with her husband." Sending a quick glimpse at the blonde, she mentioned, "In your house, actually. And she always managed to distract me whenever I was missing my girl. I know she's happy over there in that boarding school, but, well, you know what I mean." Chloe nodded, understanding her to the fullest. "Cassandra and her husband died two years ago. It was a car accident." Amelia's heart became even heavier when the comment slipped from her lips, "I miss her so much."

Chloe decreased the distance between them and supportively ran her hand over the other woman's arm. "I'm sorry to hear that," she expressed her condolences, but also got aware of the fact that the first name of the woman from the first dead couple had been Cassandra, and their death was anything but an accident.

Amelia pursed her lips, sighed again, but then shrugged off the memories. Turning her eyes back on Chloe, she remarked in a friendly manner, "Don't get me wrong. I have plenty of friends here. I love these girls, as crazy as they are. But they can't replace a best friend."

Again, Chloe nodded, fully agreeing with her. "You alright?" she made sure, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah!" Amelia confirmed and the warm smile appeared back on her lips, even though her eyes remained sad. "It's good to actually talk about it. The other's don't mention her name. They're hurt as well, and it's their form of processing the whole thing. But I need to talk."

"Of course!" Chloe agreed with her and gave her a supportive hug. "And whenever you feel the need to talk to someone, I'm here for you. Right next door," she added with a smirk to lighten up the mood a bit.

"Thank you," Amelia replied and flashed her one of her genuine warm smiles.

Their private talk was abruptly interrupted as Sam walked around the corner, increasing her pace as she spotted them, and stated with a rebuking undertone, "There you are! I've been looking for you the whole time." She smiled widely but got a little suspicious as she eyed back and forth between the two women. "Everything alright?" she asked her friend while one eye remained fixed on Chloe.

Chloe was about to say something as Amelia cut her off, "Yes, we've just talked about our kids a little," she replied with an equally big smile, letting the other topic fall under the table completely.

"Ah," Sam exclaimed and instantly all her doubts vanished from her face. Fully turning her attention to Chloe, she pointed out, "She misses her daughter so much. But a decent education is the essential thing in this world."

Amelia nodded assuringly but quickly changed the topic on that as well, "Is there something left of your pastry?"

At hearing that cue, Sam's eyes beamed with delight. "You rather be quick. I've seen Moira at it."

"Oh, I need to go," Amelia excused herself to Chloe and quickly rushed off to catch the last bite.

Sam walked after her but stopped when she didn't hear another pair of feet joining in. She turned around, sending a wary glance towards Chloe before she asked, "You coming, too?"

"Later," Chloe denied with a polite smile. "I want to check on my hubby first."

Sam smiled smugly at her, countering with a lecherous undertone, "I'm sure he's in perfectly good condition." Without wasting another second with Chloe, she turned around and headed after Amelia.

Chloe glared after her, narrowing her eyes and clenching her fists at the sexual remark in the other woman's words. She took a deep breath, composing herself, and shrugging off the anger. No! She wouldn't allow that woman to get any more under her skin than she already was, she told herself, put a smile back on her lips, and went off to find her partner.

It didn't take long for her to make him out in the cosy looking study of the host, sitting in a chair around a table with Matt and the man she now knew as Kelly, playing Skat. She halted in the door frame, taking in the nice view, and then friendly greeted the group as she walked over to Lucifer.

Hearing her voice, Lucifer instantly looked up at her, a sparkle in his eyes. He quickly placed his drink on the table and held his outstretched arm towards her, smiling at her some more when she grabbed his hand and let him guide her towards himself. She took a seat on his thigh and his arm went directly around her waist, steadying her and pulling her lightly into him. The game already forgotten, he gave his full attention to the woman in front of him and the way her body fit so perfectly to his own. "Had fun?" he asked her with a cheeky grin.

Chloe flashed him a smile and nodded. Her left arm wandered around his neck, holding tight, while she leant further into him and moved a bit to keep a half-upright sitting position while her other hand ran over the fabric of his shirt, caressing his chest or playing with his collar. "Very much. They are all lovely," she light-heartedly told him in a hushed voice, but still loud enough for his two peers to hear. She slightly shifted her position and lowered her upper body to get closer to him. Lucifer's arm around her tightened a little and, with that, helped her to decrease the distance between their faces. So far, Sam and this Dolores had been the only female suspects she couldn't engage in a private conversation. Well, as far as it came to Sam, it really was too hard for her to suppress the urge to drown this woman in the pool outside. Therefore, she'd decided Sam was a much better candidate for Lucifer to interrogate, albeit she could almost depict in her mind how exactly this interrogation would take place. With her lips starting on his chin, Chloe nibbled her way along his jaw-line up to his ear, lightly kissing the skin next to it, while her hand moved upwards, caressing his cheek and subtly holding his head in position so he couldn't turn it as she whispered into his ear, "Sam seems reluctant to tell me anything. I think she opens up more when you talk to her." Placing another kiss close to his ear to let it look like she would just seduce him a little, she moved her head back up, not without another teasing bite on his cheek, of course, and shifted once more to get back into the half-upright position.

Lucifer chuckled lightly and let out a low breath. He was looking at the cards in his left hand, but his full attention had remained at Chloe, her hands, her kisses, and the words she'd told him. When she pushed herself back up, he turned his head to fully face her. He stared into her sea blue eyes, instinctively wetting his lips and flashing her a cheeky smile, as he tightened the grip around her and pulled her back into him. When their faces were only inches apart, he tilted his head and moved to her ear, whispering likewise into it, "Will do." He halted a moment, relishing the touch of her hand that had moved up on his head and was now running through his hair, while her other hand still had the collar of his shirt firmly gripped, before he added, "And could you stop shifting? You're _making it hard_ for me to concentrate." He planted a tender kiss on her cheek before he loosened the grip around her and moved his head back to look into her eyes again.

The way he had pronounced the words made directly clear to Chloe what exactly he was referring to and she stopped breathing for a moment. Instantly getting back the grip on herself, she chuckled lightly to make it appear as if he'd just said something funny and, as he pulled back, she lifted herself up as well and stared at him. And even though his lips were stretched into that bright smug grin, she didn't see it reaching his eyes. She saw something else in them, a truth buried deep within, and in this moment her mind quit the service.

Wetting her own lips, she lowered herself back and parted them a little; just to close them again when his upper lip was in between. She squeezed them together, only using such tenderness on him as if his lip was a wish she'd fear to break. She felt his lower lip closing in on hers as well, gently pressing against the flesh, and she took in all the senses she could get from that little kiss: Feeling the softness of his lips, probing their taste, hearing nothing but the loud throbs in her ears from her very own heartbeat, and the sense of a swarm of butterflies prickling from her mouth through her body and ending directly between her legs. It tingled from the overuse of all the nerves in her body, but at the same time warmed her up from inside like the hot rays of the first summer sun of the year.

She'd long stopped her fingers from running through his hair and lowered her hand until the stubbles of his beard tickled her palm, and the corner of his mouth could be felt underneath the tip of her thumb. Slowly, she pulled back from the kiss, using her hand to keep him from coming after her with as much gentleness as possible, and with that, removed her lips from the soft pillows they'd been buried in. Inches from his face away, she halted again and searched his eyes for any reaction. They only stared back at her in surprise and awe, as if her lips had spoken a silent spell on him.

Someone harrumphed and brought them out of their intimate moment, back into the here and now, and Chloe turned around, staring into the faces of Kelly and Matt.

"Damn!" Kelly exclaimed, elated. "I just got a boner, just by watching you two kiss."

Chloe sheepishly chuckled a little and turned her attention back to the man her arms had still encompassed, to confirm that he was still alive since she didn't feel him move a single jot. The second it took for him to show his first reaction felt endless to her but then she finally saw the light twitch in the corner of his mouth, and her own smile stretched up to her ears. Relieved, she ran her forefinger over the bridge of his nose, and as she reached its tip, she lowered her head again, bringing her lips shortly back into contact with his before she, again, pulled back.

Lucifer straightened his upper body, following the direction of her lips and hoping he could snatch another brush against them, but his tries were rudely interrupted as another harrumph was heard and he had to turn his head to see his peers staring at him, demanding attention.

"It's your turn, by the way," Matt told him and tapped with his finger on the table.

Lucifer didn't care about the game anymore, all he wanted now was to lock his lips back on Chloe's and so he briefly glanced onto the already played cards and pulled the first one available from out of his hand.

"Wait," Chloe held him back, grabbing the card that was half in his hand to stop him from playing it off. "What's trump?"

"Acorns," Kelly informed her, chuckling.

"And who are you playing with?" Chloe asked, staring expectantly at Lucifer, but he remained completely silent. He didn't know it anymore; he didn't care. Chloe's head shot back to the others as Matt piped up, saying it was him. And, once again, she turned around, this time telling him in a scolding tone, "That's totally the wrong card, then." She took the card from out of his hand, placing it back to the others, and grabbed the one that was fitting best, putting it on the table. A pleased smile settled down on her face, as she heard her father's words in her mind, _'If you ever play cards, play it right!'_ She had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from repeating them out loud.

"Very well," Lucifer chimed in, finally having found back his voice. Gone was the chance of getting another kiss from her, he thought, and he gave all his cards to her. After what she'd just done, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on the game any more, anyway, he concluded and moved his other arm around her as well. Holding her securely against himself to prevent her from falling down when standing up, he turned around and helped her sit back in the now empty chair. "I have to take my drinks away anyway," he commented, smiled shortly at them, and went out of the room. He headed towards the bathroom, low-key but as fast as possible; away from all the people, away from anyone, away from – her. Sighing deeply, he composed himself, and let out a relieved breath as the bathroom appeared in front of him. The handle already in his hand, he was about to press it down, as it seemed to move on its own and the door was being opened.

"Oh, hi," Sam chirped when she saw a very perplexed Lucifer staring at her. "You need inside?"

Quickly shaking himself out of his startle, Lucifer nodded, once again putting on his mask of cockiness and indifference, and replied politely, "Yes, thank you." The wanted effect, however, stood out. The woman still remained in the door, one hand tightly gripped around the handle, she placed her other arm up against the door frame, stretching her body, and leaning a bit forward to offer him a look into her well-built cleavage. "Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked, and, for once in his life, regretted the words as soon as they had left his mouth.

"Oh, Lucifer. Where shall I start," she moaned at him, making it very clear what exactly she was thinking.

"Well, if you don't mind, I really need to go in there," he retorted, with an unusual hint of nervousness in his voice. "I'm sure, your husband _Stanley_ , if I remember correctly, is somewhere around here and is happy to help you with your needs."

"You're such a gentleman, Lucifer, so noble," she cajoled and lasciviously stared at him. "Tell me, Lucifer, is there royal blood running through your veins?"

"More like divine blood," he stated matter-of-factly, getting impatient at her blocking.

"Mmm," she replied, licking her lips. "So, you are one of those who has his daddy pay for all his toys?" she suggested a little provokingly.

"I beg your pardon!" Lucifer exclaimed enraged, adding in defence, "My money comes from my very own, very exquisite nightclub."

"I see!" Sam countered and removed her hand from the handle to run it over the buttons on Lucifer's shirt. "A man with good looks and a knack for making money, you're like my very personal sin, _Lucifer_." She purred his name and closed the gap between them.

Lucifer grabbed her shoulders, awkwardly holding her at a distance while making a half turn with her, before he took a step back and, with a low "sorry", slammed the door into her face.

Finally alone!

He took a deep breath, sorting his thoughts before the voice in his head started to scream at him: There was a very pretty, very well-stacked woman, wanting to jump his bones, and he'd just thrown her out of the room. Not to mention that this also was the woman, Chloe had told him to interrogate. What was wrong with him?

Totally frustrated, Lucifer stepped to the basin and splashed his face with water, hoping the cool liquid would bring him some insights into his behaviour. He dried himself off, straightened, and couldn't believe what his eyes showed him. He should be mad at himself for the missed opportunity of sex. After all, this undercover job doesn't deliver the Brittanys free to the door. So how was he supposed to survive another day without something he otherwise had done every eight hours? But instead of seeing fury or rage, the man staring back at him was grinning like a loon! Had he gone crazy?

Supporting his weight on his outstretched arms to both his sides, he hung his head, once again took a deep breath and licked his lips with his tongue. What used to be an automatic gesture, suddenly had a completely different effect on him. He took in another deep breath, inhaling the scent that still lingered on him, and finally realised why he ditched that woman in the first place: She wasn't Chloe! He could still taste her on his lips, still feel her body pressed against his own. His _body_ wanted her back, his _mind_ wanted her back. _He_ wanted her back. No willing other woman, no sex in the world could compare to what he'd just experienced with that little kiss of hers. A kiss that was anything like those he already had with plenty of women, full of desire with tongues in each other's throats, lips tightly pressed against the other, shortly before they went over the edge. No! This was something completely different. It was tender and soft, and stirred up a feeling inside of him he had no words to describe for... because he hadn't felt that before. How could a kiss, so simple in its carrying out, be so, so... perfect?

When the word popped up in Lucifer's mind, he could swear his heart stopped beating. Just as it did when Chloe had pressed her mouth on his the first time. What did she do to him?

Not knowing the answer to this question, Lucifer straightened himself once more, closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths until he felt his inner rant cease and his composure reappear. He would find out the truth behind Chloe's magic, he told himself. But not right now. Now, he, Lucifer Morningstar, the devil, was playing a game in the humans' little world called sting operation. And he would: Not! Lose!

Having his self-confidence fully back up, Lucifer walked to the door, a big cheeky smile on his lips and he opened the door widely, just to come face to face with Stanley and Sam Jefferson. "Oh, hello," he greeted them in a friendly manner and mentally prepared himself for the well-known scolding that most often came from the women's boyfriends who called him out for his wrongdoing. Which would be, in this case: Nothing.

"Did I hear correctly when you told Matt you love playing games?" Stanley asked nonchalantly, referring to the chat Lucifer had with Matt during the round tour.

"Yes, indeed," Lucifer replied, a surprised smile on his face at the unexpected turn.

"Perfect!" Stanley called out. "We have the best game for you," he declared and was about to grab him by his elbow as Lucifer backed away, holding up his hands in defence.

"I can walk on my own, thank you," he reminded the other with a straight face, making clear that he wasn't joking.

"Of course! Sorry," Stanley appeased him, instantly backing away and gesturing Lucifer to simply follow his wife, who'd taken the lead before he stepped in after him.

They made a bee-line to the study, remaining in the entrance, but before Stanley could speak up, Matt took the floor. "Sorry, pal, but Chloe here is a much better Skat player than you are," he declared to Lucifer and added with an imitated sad voice, "I think I have to withdraw my offer from before."

Lucifer smiled, and his eyes widened in joy at the indirect praise. Of course, Chloe was the best, he thought and voiced in a delighted tone, "No problem. As long as it is for playing card games, I'd love to share my wife." He looked over to Chloe, winking at her, and his smile stretched even further when he saw her grinning sheepishly.

Before anyone else could bring up anything about the card game again, Sam piped up, telling the long-time residents, "It's time for the game."

"Oh, already?" Kelly exclaimed surprised but then smiled widely and stood up, stepping next to Chloe and gesturing her to get up as well, while Matt quickly put the cards back in the box and went out of the room first.

Chloe stared at them, perplexed, not knowing what was going on. "What game?" she asked with a slightly queasy feeling about their sudden strange behaviour and stood up. Getting no answer from the others, she turned her attention to Lucifer, who stood in the door frame, shrugging his shoulders at her.

With Sam and Stanley walking ahead, and Matt and Kelly behind, Lucifer and Chloe were escorted into the living room, that had been cleared of all furniture except for two chairs standing in the middle.

Chloe felt like an animal going to the slaughter as they, flanked by the Jeffersons, were guided towards the chairs and had to take a seat. She was facing Lucifer who smiled like a child in gleeful anticipation, their knees almost touching, and she quickly looked around, scanning the room. The others were standing in a circle, with a couple of feet distance to them as if they were sitting ducks. But what really turned her stomach was that the terrace door to her left and the front door to her right were blocked by men. Something was definitely not right, she thought to herself and, once again, locked eyes with her partner.

Lucifer stared back at her, his smile stretching his lips to both sides. He shortly raised both his eyebrows to signal her to calm down. After all, the situation wasn't any dangerous from his perspective, and if Chloe really wanted to leave, he'd just throw that Stanley guy through the air and the front door was free. He relaxed his shoulders and leant into the backrest.

Being a good hostess, Patricia stepped to them, announcing blithely, "Chloe, Lucifer, you had some time to get to know us a little. Now, we all like to turn the tables and get to know you by playing a little game called: The hot seat." As she pronounced the name, the people around them cheerfully clapped their hands. Patricia patiently waited until the noise subsided, before she continued explaining, "This is one, if not the most favourite game we're playing, and it's always a pleasure to have a new couple sitting in the chairs from whom we don't already know the answers," she added and grinned widely at them. "Here are the rules: Each one of us will ask you a question about your private life to which there can only be one answer. If it's a question with obviously several possible answers, then we lose and you're free to leave the chairs. If you both give the same answer to the question and the next in turn misses their cue to ask within the set time frame, then you win as well."

Hearing her explanation made Chloe not feel any better. Quite the contrary, now she was certain they were the sitting ducks in what was probably some sort of kinky adult game. As she recalled the rules, something major was missing, and she interposed, "What if we don't get an answer correctly?"

"Well, then the one with the wrong answer has to throw off a piece of their clothing, shoes don't count. In case the one is already naked, the spouse has to step in, of course," Patricia answered with a joyful tone in her voice.

Chloe stared at her, flabbergasted. Did she just hear right? "So we might get naked in front of all of you?" she remarked, still not fully believing that they're being serious.

"Don't worry. It's just us," Patricia tried to soothe her. "And so far, this has never happened when we played the lighter form of the game. Believe me, with that much of champagne we already had, one of us will definitely miss their cue," she ensured and winked at her. She gave each of them a wipeable writing tablet and a marker before she explained further, "You write down your answer on the board, and then when each of you has finished, you show them around so we can check if you have the same answer. Good luck!" she ended with a supportive shake of her fists and stepped back to her husband.

Chloe swallowed hard, processing all the facts at a record time: They hadn't been asked whether they wanted to play or not, so it was basically a type of interrogation, combined with a humiliation in form of a forced striptease. And that in front of a bunch of strangers. Great! They couldn't bust their cover at the first evening right away; not without having gathered any information about the killer. So, they had to play this game. The, as told, 'light version' of it. She only hoped she would never find out how the actual version of the game was played, she thought and sighed deeply. There were a million and one possible questions they could ask them, far more than the facts they had to learn about their fake marriage, and she mentally said goodbye to her two items of clothes. Not that her partner would mind seeing her naked once more. 'Speaking of, why was he so silent?' Chloe asked herself and finally looked up at him.

She wasn't surprised by him still sitting fully relaxed in the chair with a big nonchalant smile plastered on his face as if he'd look forward to playing it. What impressed her was the determined look in his eyes as he fixed them on her, and she instantly knew he was waiting for her cue. If she signalled him to get her out of this, he would do so in an instant, that was certain; she wouldn't even have to say one word for him to know, and in this moment she really felt glad that he, her partner, was here with her and had her back.

Taking a deep breath, Chloe relaxed into the chair as well and gave him a nod that was so subtle that no one else but him was aware of it, telling him that she was in.

Lucifer turned to Patricia, purring to her in his most charming voice, "We're ready whenever you are."

"Fabulous!" Patricia called out with delight and announced to the group, "Let the game begin!" Turning to Denise, she stated, a little lower, "Denise, you've hit the jackpot last time, if I remember correctly." As she saw her eager nod, she went on, "You'll start."

"How long have you been married?" Denise asked, quick like a shot.

Her question was met by low murmuring through the room and Patricia bent a little forward to the two guests of honour, explaining to them, "She always asks this question," before she straightened herself back.

Chloe forced a smile towards the woman before she lowered her gaze to the tablet in front of her. _'Anything for the case!'_ she told herself and wrote down the answer. Looking back up, she saw Lucifer expectantly staring at her, indicating that he was already done. She nodded towards him, and both showed their tablets around. Someone from out of the group singsonged "get naked" and Chloe quickly turned to Lucifer, reading his answer, and innerly froze. "We both have the correct answer!" She declared, staring perplexedly to the hostess.

"Well, Chloe, you wrote: ' _half a year'_ , and Lucifer wrote: ' _7 months and 11 days'_. Which, yes, normally I would agree, is half a year, but this game is about the _exact same_ answer," she explained. "So technically, you're wrong," she added, sighed, and looked up to someone. A warm smile appeared on her face as she turned her attention back to Chloe and Lucifer, declaring, "Since this really is your first question and you're new, we'll give you a little bonus and count this as correctly answered. But please keep in mind, the more precise answer counts from now on." As she saw the two nodding their understanding, she smiled pleased and gestured to the next person to continue.

"Where have you first met?" a woman named Moira asked, smiling.

Both quickly scribbled down the answer and then held their tablets up. Despite Chloe knowing that their cover was almost impeccably adapted to their actual lives, she breathed a sigh of relief when she read Lucifer's answer ' _in my nightclub_ ' matching hers.

"Who kissed the other first?" Moira's husband Devin, who was currently blocking the terrace door, asked.

Lucifer bit his tongue to not to start chuckling at that. Maybe Chloe really was capable of some kind of magic, or why else did she kiss him just the moment before they had to answer that question? he thought, and a smile lifted the corners of his mouth. He felt a little proud that he could write down her name and also show it to everyone; as if this was the proof that this magical kiss had actually happened.

"Who is older?" Dolores asked and, again, smiled at Lucifer as if she already knew the answer.

Chloe sighed under her breath, glad that the next question hadn't been ' _Where_ had you first kissed _?_ ' or else they would have had a problem right now. Her thought was interrupted by a low chuckle, coming from the chair opposite to her and she took a brief glance at her partner. She smiled as she lowered her gaze back to the tablet in front of her, lightly shaking her head, as she quickly scribbled down the answer; knowing that he, with his delusion, just wrote his own name.

"Who is the better cook?" a man, none of them knew the name of, but somehow seemed to be connected to the young Denise, asked, grinning and folding his arms in front of his chest.

Chloe and Lucifer quickly wrote down the answer and then turned the tablets, first showing it to each other.

"No way!" Chloe objected right away and shook her head, determined. "You're not better in cooking than me."

"That's why I wrote in brackets ' _except for Chloe's sandwiches_ '," Lucifer countered, staring sternly at her before his smile settled back on his lips.

"Alright, you two, who of you is the better cook?" Patricia chimed in, taking a step forward.

The room chuckled when it came loudly from out of both their mouths, "Me."

Turning to Chloe, Patricia asked further, "Is there someone who knows how you both cook?"

"Nope!" she instantly answered, popping the 'p'.

"Well, then, how often have you been told within the last month, that you're a great cook?" Patricia followed up on it.

"My daughter tells me every day," Chloe answered and grinned at Lucifer, certain of victory.

With a pleased smile, the hostess turned her attention to Lucifer, repeating, "And how often did someone tell you that you're a great cook within the last month?"

Lucifer formed a silent 'oh' with his lips as he searched in his brain for the answer. Accepting not even the mandatory "it's OK" Maze always described his meals with, he narrowed his eyes at his _wife_ , exhaling a low huff, and stood up. "Very well!" he commented as he, without another word, took off his jacket and put it neatly over the backrest of his chair. He sat back down, crossing his legs and smiling provokingly at her, as he promised himself: First thing tomorrow morning, he would show her how much better a cook he was.

Being next in line, Kelly asked curiously, "Who owns more clothes?"

They quickly wrote down the answer and turned their tablets, just to be greeted with their own name on the other's board.

"No, Chloe, not this time. You own more clothes!" Lucifer told her straight out.

"Uh-uh!" Chloe countered, shaking her head. "Your closet in your apartment is twice as big as our bedroom."

"The size doesn't count!" Lucifer objected, earning an ' _as-if_ '-glare from her. "Let's just count how many items you normally wear each day: Jacket, shirt, trousers, socks, bra, knickers. These are six things, compared to me, who neither owns bras nor shorts. I have less than you."

"Lucifer," Chloe started, straightening herself in her chair before she went on, "I change my trousers twice a week. Whereas you wear a new suit every day, and sometimes you even change into several outfits during the day. You own more clothes."

"My, my, this is quite interesting," Patricia commented amusedly, and once again stepped in. "Alright, my dears, I request hand signal. Who of you agrees that Lucifer here owns more clothes."

Chloe smiled smugly as she saw all hands, including her own, rising straight into the air.

"Why are you on her side?" Lucifer complained as he looked around the room. His eyes fell onto Sam, who stood next to her husband near the door, lasciviously smiling at him, and he quickly figured out, they most probably only did so, because they wanted to see him naked. ' _Alright,_ ' he thought to himself. ' _If the crowd wants to see perfection, who am I to refuse._ ' With a smug grin on his lips, he stood up and slowly unbuttoned his shirt. His eyes were fixed on Chloe, and his pupils darkened when he saw her light blush at the sight of his bare chest. Taking off the shirt, he stretched out both of his arms and showed the crowd his proud chest. Murmurs and cheers resounded through the room, and he sat back in his chair, cockily wiggling his eyes at his _wife_ and chuckling satisfied when he saw her blushing even deeper and quickly fixing her view to her tablet. He sighed, pleased to know now that their little _interplay_ this morning did leave an impression on her.

"Who proposed?" Amelia asked when the turmoil died down again.

Chloe looked up at her, seeing her smiling cordially towards her from right behind her partner. She sighed and returned the warm smile, keeping herself from showing any type of dislike for the what was probably her way of giving them a safe question. After all, she couldn't know that Chloe had completely made up that propose-thing. She moved both her hands around the tablet, subtly playing with the ring on her finger, hoping Lucifer would get the hint.

"Chloe, are you done as well?" Patricia asked her warmly.

Chloe's head shot up at her. "Oh sorry, this always brings me back the memory," she quickly commented and scribbled down his name. She sighed, put a sincere smile on her face and nodded towards the hostess, who right away prompted them to turn their tablets around. Chloe let out a silent relieved sigh as she read Lucifer's answer ' _me_ ' on his board, and she smiled at him. Besides all the worry about not busting their cover, and the fact that there somewhere was a killer around, this little game started to be fun. She really could imagine playing this with real friends and a real husband some day and was quite surprised that it hadn't turned out as the kinky game she thought it to be.

"Who's mostly on top?" Stanley wanted to know and instantly earned a little rebuke from Amelia.

' _Here we go!_ ' Chloe thought, rolling her eyes, and silently revised her thought from before. She mentally prepared herself for the next piece of clothing falling down as she wrote down her own name, knowing that either it would be his trousers or her panties. She simply couldn't bring herself to write down his name and, with that, probably give him the satisfaction to know that she would want him to be the boss in their bedroom. Apart from the fact that _they_ didn't have a _bedroom_ , she quickly added in her mind and signalled her partner that she was ready.

Lucifer had been fast with writing down his first impulse: ' _me_ '. But then he stole a glance towards her direction and saw her pursed lips and the slight shake of her head as she, fully focused on the tablet, wrote something down. In this instant, he knew that it wouldn't be his name he was going to read, and therefore quickly wiped away the word, and scribbled her name on it. Awaiting her nod, he turned around his board and snickered quietly when he saw her surprised features briefly flashing up from under her mask.

A few of the group chuckled and Stanley couldn't contain himself from teasing, "Looks like she really has henpecked you."

Lucifer lightly wetted his lips and turned to the man, carrying a very smug smile on his face as he countered, "Oh, believe me. If you meet a woman like Chloe, you'll do anything in your power to keep her happy." He turned back to her, catching the smile on her lips about his flattery, and instantly felt some kind of rush running through his veins. But he hadn't enough time to trace down the origin of it, as the next question already popped up.

"What size is his penis?" Sam asked loudly and licked her lips with her tongue before she added, "And I don't want to read a ' _big_ ' or ' _average_ ', I want inches!"

Chloe darted a glance towards the woman's direction. "That's a way too private question!" she retorted with a hint of anger.

"Honey, there is no such thing as too private or too embarrassing," Dolores countered in her calm, warm voice from the other side of the room. "Question is question, and you have to answer that."

"Come on, Chloe. You should know that!" Lucifer teased her, easily writing down his own measures and putting the tablet, writing-side down, onto the armrest. He leant back in his chair, his elbows supported on both armrests and his fingers touched in the middle, forming a triangle.

Chloe glared at him and she pursed her lips. Seeing him sitting there right in front of her with his whole body presented towards her, she wanted to wring his neck for his behaviour. True, she still knew all the sizes of her ex, after all, this had been a normal marriage, but this here was a fake one. And she'd seen him in all his glory only once – a year ago. How was she supposed to know what exact size his penis was, other than that it was fucking damn huge? Trying to get a way out of this, she retorted, using his own words from before, "Really? Since when does size matter?" Lucifer didn't show any reaction other than fixing his eyes on her, making clear that she wouldn't get out of that with his help. She turned her head to half of the crowd, asking in hope to get some back-up, "Who of you knows the exact size of your husband's penis?" When she saw all women in the room raising their hands, she had to swallow hard to get rid of the lump in her throat. She turned her head back, and almost shrieked when she found herself face to face with Lucifer.

"Come on, Chloe, just write down the number." Someone called out from the group.

Lucifer's grin turned evilly wide as he stared with his now dark eyes into hers and loudly replied to the remark. "She can't!" With a voice slightly lower, he added, "She doesn't remember." Licking his lips, he tilted his head, moving forward in his seat, and told her, "Well, well, my dear. Seems like you'll lose your first piece of clothes, then. Is it your dress?"

"What?" Chloe uttered flabbergasted. "I'm not giving you my dress!" she denied vehemently, putting both her hands over herself in a protective manner.

"It's your knickers, then," he mentioned casually and moved his hands along her knees, aiming for the little fabric. Some people of the group cheered at his behaviour, and he grinned towards them, before he turned his eyes back at Chloe, delighted about how she was reacting to him.

A little panic went through her and she pressed herself further into her chair, her hands quickly grabbing his, holding him from moving any higher. "You're supposed to be on my side, remember!" she warned him with a low voice, but as she saw his wicked grin, she knew she was on her own here.

"Chloe, I didn't make the rules," he retorted audibly, washing his hands off. "But it's only fair of you to give the next piece, after all, I am already half naked," he added with a nonchalant voice, grabbed around her legs and pulled her towards him before he moved his hands back up her thighs, his upper body closely above hers.

Chloe was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Not knowing how true that phrase actually was. She'd still firmly grabbed his hands to prevent them from going for her panties, but with that, she had nothing to prevent his body from getting so close to her that she could feel the heat radiating from it, and the warm puffs of his breath that ran over the sensitive skin of her neck as he lowered his head down, giving her goosebumps.

"Relax, it's just your knickers. I won't let anyone see anything of you," he whispered assuringly into her ear and moved his hands further up her thighs and under her dress. Her resistance grew the more he reached upwards, and her two little peaks were stiffly poking into his chest, giving away how rapidly she actually was breathing right now. When he heard her low "Lucifer, no!" whispered to him and sensed the discomfort that was swinging in those words, he instantly stopped with his teasing and raised himself to have a proper look at her. The deep red blush on her face was still visible, and together with her quick breaths and her erected nipples, the others could be tricked into thinking that she was only aroused. But he knew better. Her eyes were almost screaming at him not to go any further, and with a quick nod, he stood up, announcing to the group, "My dears, I'm very sorry, but I can't live on with a wife who doesn't know my exact measures. We, sadly, have to leave now, so I can show her and make her remember every inch of it till the end of all time."

He chose the words with as much sexual reference as possible, feeling the others wouldn't let them go otherwise, while he slipped back into his shirt. He held his hand out to Chloe, nodding reassuringly towards her, and pulled her up to him after she'd clasped it. Putting his jacket around her shoulders to give her some form of protection, he lay his arm around her, pulling her safely into his side, and guided her towards the front door.

Low protests of regret went through the room as they reached the door that was blocked by Stanley, and Lucifer smiled cheerfully at him, "Would you please?" He gestured towards the door, his grip tightening around Chloe, while he tilted his head, and expectantly stared at the other.

Stanley seemed to look at someone behind them, but then smiled equally brightly towards the pair, announcing pleasantly, "See you tomorrow." He held the door wide open, waiting till both were out of the house, and then closed it shut again.

"Quick, switch off the lights," someone ordered, and the room was draped in black as the group rushed to the windows, staring outside.

"I wish it could be me he's showing his inches now," Sam moaned, further pressing her nose against the window and languishing after him.

"I wish that, too," Stanley added, grabbing around his wife from behind, and started nibbling at her earlobe.

Amelia rolled her eyes, annoyed at the pair who couldn't keep it together for even one hour. "Now listen to the both of you," she remarked snidely and hugged her husband as she stared at the new residents leaving the lawn.

Patricia sighed deeply, and then her eyes beamed as she let the little information slip, "They're into role play." She chuckled lightly when the others started to moan and cheer with glee.

On the outside, Lucifer guided Chloe further away from the house. He saw the change of light from out of the corner of his eye and bent down to her, whispering, "They are watching us."

Chloe turned her head towards him, their faces not even an inch apart. "I know," she whispered back.

When their eyes met, they seemed to make a silent pact, and suddenly Chloe felt his lips crashing down on hers while his hands moved around her, one beneath her butt, the other around her waist as he pulled her up and into him. She clasped her arms around his neck, her legs tightly wrapped around his hip while he moved them towards their house.

/-/

How they ended up inside the house, Chloe couldn't remember. Her mind seemed to have blocked out everything else and only came back to life just now. She felt her back pressed into the wood of their front door, her legs still wrapped around his hip, he was rhythmically moving from side to side, pressing the very hard evidence of his arousal into her centre while his fingers dug into the firm flesh of her butt cheek, kneading it and sending shivers through her body. His other hand had moved upwards between her shoulder blades and was now gripping the beginning of her neck. His thumb gently caressed the soft skin and it sent further impulses through her body, directing south and heating her up from inside even more than the heat she felt coming from his body, wrapping her up like a hot blanket on winter days. Her arms were still around his neck, one holding tightly onto the collar of his shirt, while the other was buried deep in his black hair. She couldn't move them, or anything else of her body, since she was so overwhelmed by what he did inside her mouth. They weren't simply kissing; their tongues were fighting a battle, and it seemed very clear that he was winning. His tongue rubbed so firm against her own, moved so skilfully from side to side, that she wished it would be between her other lips right now, giving her the very same and very much wanted treatment.

A deep moan escaped her throat when he finally moved his head and released himself from out of her mouth, granting her some well-needed air, while his lips ran down her neck, looking for the sensitive spot and once again marking their territory.

Chloe sucked in a breath, filled her lungs with as much air as possible, but still, she couldn't get her panting under control. She was shaking beneath him, from her arousal, from the firing of all the nerves inside of her, and the heat around them. She knew what she wanted right now, but she also knew that she couldn't let this happen. This was a job, a sting operation, and he was her partner. He was her _partner_! she screamed once more in her mind and finally, it clicked and sent the signal to her mouth. With the last energy left in her, she breathed a trembling "stop," before her panting increased again, making it impossible to speak any further.

Lucifer instantly froze like a deer caught in headlights. ' _The promise_ ,' it ran through his mind, and he took a deep breath, trying to compose himself; to stop himself from continuing. Feeling the want from his body and fighting against it with all his power, his eyes suddenly flashed fiery red. He quickly closed his lids, relieved that he was facing the door and safely shielded from her view by her body. The body that felt so great against his... Shaking himself back to his senses, he waited for his eyes to change back to their brown colour before he took half a step backwards and let her slowly glide to the ground. When her feet touched the ground, he completely released her from out of his grasp and took another step backwards. He didn't know what happened, but he stumbled, and frantically gripped the first thing reachable to not fall to the floor.

Chloe quickly grabbed his arms to prevent him from tumbling and steadied him until he stood securely, ignoring the pain that was shooting through her body from his tight grip around her arm. He saw up and, as he recognised that he was hurting her, quickly let go with an honest mumbled ' _sorry_ '. He wanted to step back, but Chloe kept her hold on him and attentively scanned his features: There was sweat on his forehead, his pupils completely dilated and they didn't even contract when she turned him slightly and the light coming from the kitchen shone directly into his eyes. Something definitely wasn't right! Remembering the way he looked when she first saw him drunk on the crime scene of the zombie-wedding, she asked concerned, "Lucifer, how much did you have to drink?"

"Just two whiskies," he answered, and turned his body to shield himself from the brightness.

"You sure you didn't miss a zero after the 2?" Chloe inquired, the worry for him increasing.

"Very sure," Lucifer answered, avoiding her gaze. He couldn't look at her. He needed all his self-control to not leap forward and push his tongue back into her mouth to feel again what he was still tasting on it. What he wanted back again so badly but couldn't have because of the promise. And he would do anything to keep it! "It's late. I'll go shower," he informed her shortly, and quickly turned around, heading for the stairs.

"Yeah, do that," Chloe replied quietly and watched him walking, or better swaying, up the stairs. She went directly to the kitchen counter, let her head fall onto the cold marble, and groaned into it. What the hell was she thinking? she scolded herself, but the answer followed right away: Nothing! She hadn't spent one single thought at possible consequences. All she could think about was his bare chest hovering over hers, his breath against her skin, and the gratefulness she felt when he instantly got her out of that house. For a brief moment she thought about telling herself that she only let him kiss her because he'd earned it for his protection, but then shook her head. It would be a lie. She knew that. She'd let him kiss her because she wanted it. She'd made out with him, just as much as he'd made out with her.

Turning to the sink, she poured herself a glass of water, downing it in one go, and then took a deep breath to brace herself for what was coming when she would enter the bedroom.

She walked up the stairs, the hand already at the handle, she quickly let go, deciding to go directly to her bathroom and make herself ready, so she just had to face him one time this night. And maybe he still was in the shower if she would be quick enough. Then she could fake to be already asleep when he'd enter the bedroom. Nodding to herself, she turned around and went to her bathroom.

When she finally opened the door to the bedroom, her heart stopped beating for a split second, and she sucked in a sharp breath. Lucifer was already lying sprawled out on the bed. She sighed more than relieved as she realised, his eyes were shut and he was fast asleep. Silently closing the door behind her, she stepped towards him. His hair was dry, indicating that he hadn't showered at all, and she smiled pleased that at least he was able to change into his shorts before he'd hit the pillow. One of his arms had fallen to the side, and Chloe picked it up, lay it across his chest before she grabbed the blanket he'd simply tossed on her side of the bed, and covered him with it to keep him from getting cold during the night.

She walked around to her side, snuggled into the pillow, and wrapped the blanket warmly around herself. Then, she wished him sweet dreams and closed her eyes, hoping that hers wouldn't show her something she could have had but had denied herself.

* * *

 **A/N:** End of chapter two. I hope you liked it. And before I write anything further, I just have one question: Which scene left the biggest footprint in your mind? Hit that little review button and tell me :D

Have a nice day!

:o)


	3. She's the sweetest taste of sin

**A/N:** Hello my dears. First of all, thank you so much for this incredible feedback. I really feel flattered that so many of you like this little story. Here is another chapter. I hope you like it as well :D

This chapter might be a little angsty or disturbing at the end, I hope you don't mind.

 **Edit:** At the **end of the chapter** there is **intense sexual contact happening** , not in a happy way, and for some people this might be triggering. So please be aware of it and/or if you don't want to read it, please skip. As Skaoi pointed it out so nicely, in the U.S. the content is considered as non-consensual. Therefore: **Trigger warning!**

This chapter was **beta-read** by Daemon. Thank you! You're awesome! :D

 **Edit:** This chapter is now gamma-read by Molleyn, thank you so much for that! And now finally updated after who knows how many months, I hope I haven't missed any of them. :D

Enjoy!

* * *

 _She's the sweetest taste of sin_

o~o

 _Lucifer moaned loudly as he entered her; her silky-smooth skin underneath him and her soft but firm inner muscles around him felt so good, they nearly sent him over the edge_ _at once_ _. With a long thrust, he buried himself deep inside of her, almost stretching her to the fullest before he started to move; first slowly, so she could adapt to his length, then he quickened his pace, faster and harder._

 _A first wave filled with pleasure washed over him, but this didn't cease his arousal, it let it grow even further. He had been waiting for this moment for so long, and now that it finally had come, that he finally had Chloe beneath him, he never wanted to stop. He could barely hold himself back as his carnal desires dictated him to be more forceful, to_ _fill_ _her out with every inch of himself; and as he heard no protests coming from her, he complied. With long, vigorous thrusts he brought himself to an explosive orgasm. And again. And again._

 _For a moment he slowed down, letting his exhausted muscles have some rest as he_ _let_ _his hands_ _glide_ _over her body, feeling her soft skin under his fingertips, and the tingling sensation it caused inside of him. He lowered his head and kissed and nibbled his way from her belly up to her breasts. Hungrily, his mouth latched on one of her hard peaks as if he was shortly before starvation; sucking at it with loud smacking sounds before he let his tongue circle around her areola, teasing her nipple and then sucking at it some more. One of his hands went to her free breast, eagerly kneading it and letting the likewise hard nipple roll between his index finger and thumb before he_ _moved_ _his head and gave the other nipple the same treatment._

 _The play aroused him again and he pushed himself deeper into her, sliding in and out with increasing pace. He panted heavily, moaned into her skin, and as his lungs couldn't be filled with enough oxygen any longer, he let go of her breasts, taking big gulps of air, and cried out her name as another climax let him erupt. The heat inside of him was so strong he almost feared it could burn him alive. But he was the devil. He was made of heat; he reigned it._

 _Still, something didn't feel right. He ran his hands further across her body, and finally, it dawned upon him what exactly was_ _wrong_ _. Her skin felt cold; so cold that he instantly lowered himself onto her, shielding her from the sudden cool air around them with his full body, hoping this would warm her up. He moved his head further up, covering her cleavage and neck with soft kisses as he called out her name, "Chloe...Chloe..."_

 _But she didn't answer._

 _He pushed his upper body up, supported by his arms_ _on_ _both sides_ _of her_ _, and finally, he saw her face: Her skin was pale, with a strange shade of bluish white, and as he looked into her eyes, they stared dully and deadly into the distance._

 _"No! Chloe!" he cried out, appalled. He wanted to stop and withdraw himself from her, but his body didn't obey; it kept on moving inside of her with even strokes, and his arousal rose anew; not in the slightest bit subdued by the horror he felt at the sight of her. "Chloe!" he screamed in despair, frantically trying to cease his movements, trying to get off of her, trying to do anything, but he couldn't hold himself back. "No!"_

 _Suddenly, she tilted her head; her dead eyes directly piercing into him as she called out his name. At first, it was muffled, but then it got louder, and louder, "Lucifer!"_

"Lucifer!"

"Chloe!" Lucifer screamed out and bolted upright, heavily panting. He was gasping for air, his whole body shaking, as he adjusted his eyes to the dimly lit wall across from him. He couldn't hear the words Chloe was telling him; half his head was still trapped in the nightmare and it only slowly found its way back to the here and now. The first thing he noticed after a moment were two gentle hands on his face and shoulder, sending a soothing heat through his body in the areas they covered and leaving a cold shiver on those they'd just left.

He lowered his head, his eyes following the hands to the face of the owner and as he saw her, staring at him with startled but bright sea blue and – thank goodness – very much alive eyes, he uttered with a quivering voice, "Chloe!" He instantly grasped her face with his hands, searching for any harm. "Chloe, are you alright?" he asked full of worry but also sensed relief climb up in him as he felt her warm skin.

"I'm fine. You just had a bad dream," Chloe explained softly, hoping her voice and touch would give him all the comfort he needed at the moment. She'd been woken up by his moans and screams. And after she'd switched on the lights, she had seen his head tossing from side to side, his chest rise and fall with frantic panting, and his whole body trembling and soaked in sweat. She'd called his name, had shaken him to try to wake him up, but nothing had worked. "It was just a bad dream," she told him once again, caressing his cheek while her other hand ran across his shoulders, lightly rubbing the skin that was as cold as ice. "How are you?" she whispered and searched in his eyes for the answer. For a brief moment she saw his dark-brown irises staring back at her, his pupils widened in fear, but then he blinked quickly, putting on his mask of everything-is-alright and withdrew from her.

"I'm fine," Lucifer answered and took her hands, gently removing their touch. He straightened himself, shifting a bit away and taking a deep breath to compose himself. "It was just a dream," he repeated her words, trying to sound nonchalant but Chloe could clearly see behind his façade.

"You wanna tell me about it?" she asked softly. She knew that talking about dreams had the positive effect that they wouldn't appear again, at least not right away, but she didn't want to force him to open up. He seemed so fragile to her right now, and she had to use all her self-control to not wrap her arms back around him.

Lucifer shook his head, determined. "No. It's not important anymore." He fixed his eyes on an invisible spot on the wall, avoiding her gaze. The dream still tore him apart. He loved having sex with other people, to make them scream with desire, knowing that he was the reason for their complete satisfaction. But he could never imagine having sex with someone who wouldn't get at least the equal amount of pleasure out of it as him. Still, in this dream, he was only driven by his own fulfilment; not caring about what he was doing to her, his Chloe; not registering in the slightest that she was a corpse. The sheer thought of causing her any pain made him nauseous, and he couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he had dreamed about… about hurting her. But what did this dream mean, if it had a meaning at all, other than just driving him insane? He stole a glance towards her, but then quickly locked his eyes back on the wall. Somehow it felt as if she could see into him, could see the fright and insecurity he still felt about that nightmare. It made him appear weak. And the least thing he wanted was for Chloe to see him that way. Barely recognising her whispered "alright", he felt little beads of sweat run across his forehead, down to his eyebrows, and he quickly wiped them away, staring in disbelief at the liquid drops on his fingers. Never before had he sweated so much that he was soaked in it, that his skin had become sticky and cold from it. He couldn't even remember one day where he'd had sweat on his body at all, not even during sex when he was surrounded by people, rubbing against each other in heat and screaming in pleasure.

"Maybe you should take a quick shower. I'll change the covers in the meantime," Chloe suggested warmly, using the blanket to at least wipe his back dry, and to bring some more comfort to his still trembling body.

Her words and action brought him out of his daze. He nodded approvingly and quickly stood up, going around the bed and disappearing behind his door without a second look.

Now alone, Chloe finally allowed her own startled heart to calm down. The fright from suddenly having been shaken out of her sleep was still in her bones, and she sighed deeply. Grabbing her phone, she quickly eyed the time: It was half past two in the morning; too early to even consider this time as _morning_ at all. Putting the phone back on her night table, she stood up from the bed, stripping it and tossing the wet bedsheets to the ground. Then she went to the sideboard, taking out fresh covers and blankets, and changed the sheets. She was barely finished when she heard the door behind her being opened. She quickly turned around and got sight of a very unusual expression on Lucifer's face; a look which she would have described as ' _distraught'_ if it wasn't Lucifer she'd seen it on.

With half his body still remaining in the dressing room, Lucifer looked towards her, avoiding direct eye contact. "I...well, the shorts were my only... and you know I'm not wearing any..." he stammered incoherently, unwittingly running his hand through his damp hair to get the tension inside his body back under control with some movements.

Chloe smiled reassuringly at him, fully understanding what he was trying to say. "It's alright, Lucifer. Just get back into bed," she told him as soothingly as she could. Seeing a quick nod from him, she watched him going around the bed to his side, only dressed in a towel, crawling back under the blanket and putting the towel on the ground after he was safely covered. She sighed silently and frowned at him and his completely out-of-character behaviour. This dream must have really shaken him to the core, she thought to herself and got back under the blanket on her side as well. When she had made it herself comfortable, she looked over to him, suggesting quietly, "You can switch off the lights now."

Lucifer took a deep breath, exhaling as quietly as possible. Then he nodded at her, so faintly that he wasn't sure she'd seen it at all. He moved his arm up to the switch but hesitated. Suddenly, the pictures of her dead body flashed up before his inner eye and an instant shudder went through his body. Clenching his teeth and forcing himself to not make any panic-driven noises, he quickly blinked them away, not ready to deal with them right now or any time later. To be honest, he preferred to simply lock the whole dream away deep down inside of him and never think of it again. Mentally pleading that his voice would come out steady, he asked, barely above a whisper, "Would you mind, if I leave it on?" His eyes remained fixed on the warm yellow light of the lamp as he waited for her answer.

Chloe frowned at him, so deeply this time that she was sure it'd leave a permanent mark on her forehead. Without a second thought she moved over to him, ignoring his surprised look, and lay down on his chest, nestling into the pit of his shoulder. As she felt him underneath her, their bodies pressed against each other, knowing that he was completely naked, she paused for a moment, but then quickly pushed her own stirring thoughts to the back of her head; he needed her right now, and she was certain to give him that comfort, regardless of what this closeness would do to her. Leaning over to reach the light switch, she whispered to him, "Don't worry. I'll protect you."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes at her in wonder. "I don't-"

"Everyone needs a little protection sometimes," she immediately cut him off, adding with a wink, "Even the devil himself." Then she switched off the lights, engulfing the room in pitch black again. She snuggled closer to him, her head a mere inch away from his, as she commanded softly, "Now try to sleep." She lay her arm around his face, caressing his cheek a little, feeling his stubbles, before she moved her hand further up and buried her fingers in his hair, caressing the scalp beneath.

Lucifer lay stiff as a poker. He didn't know how to react to the upcoming feelings inside of him: the warmth he felt radiating from her body, stirring up his own heat inside of him, the soft blows of her breath against his ear, moving his soft hairs and tickling his skin, and her fingers running through his hair, lulling him into some sense of safety and comfort. He felt sleep trying to overpower him again; but he wasn't ready to indulge in it, not yet.

Taking several flat breaths to calm himself down some more, he slowly moved his arm around her body, gently hugging her, and as he perceived no protest or discomfort from her, he intertwined his fingers with those of her hand that was sticking up from between their bodies. He knew her constant caress wouldn't give him a peaceful sleep, but soon cause rather different reactions from him. So, he moved his other hand up to hers, intertwining those fingers with his own as well, and laid their hands back on his chest, holding tight right above his heart. He closed his eyes, taking some more deep, calming breaths, and finally allowed sleep to get the better of him again.

/-/

The first thing Lucifer recognised was the bright sun shining through the windows and directly on him, tickling his nose, and he fully awoke with a light sneeze. He blinked several times, adjusting his eyes to the wall across from him, and for a moment he wondered why the curtains had been pulled back in the first place. Had they forgotten to close them? Briefly recalling the moment when he'd woken up in the night, he assured himself that they'd been drawn. ' _Chloe must have opened them,_ ' Lucifer silently concluded and sighed, letting his head drop back on the pillow, and he stared at the ceiling. ' _Chloe._ ' Now that she wasn't there anymore, with her body slightly pressing into him, he felt a strange feeling of loneliness. When exactly had he gotten so used to her that he already missed her when she was not by his side?

Lucifer moved his head to the side to confirm that her place was indeed empty, and for a moment he wondered how long she had already been gone. He'd never been a morning person, but often found himself awake long before his bedfellows even started to stir in their phase of waking up, and at least he had always woken up as well when they did; he called it an instinctive alertness to his surroundings, acquired by the constant imminence of danger down in hell. With the detective, however, it was different; everything seemed to be different with her, and he considered that maybe it was time to define new rules for him, at least for the time of them being so closely together.

Getting up, Lucifer made a beeline to the bathroom, making himself ready before he went back into the dressing room. He played eenie-meenie-miney-mo between the dark blue suit with the cream white shirt and the grey suit with the burgundy shirt, before he eventually decided on the latter, and, after slipping into it, went out and down the stairs.

Chloe sighed deeply, half in annoyance because his loud trampling ripped her out of her concentration, and half in relief because he finally showed a sign of life. When she awoke this morning it had already been past nine and she found it unnecessary to tiptoe around him. But still, all her milling around, shutting the doors, and even one time accidentally running against the edge of the bed and breaking out in loud swearing didn't help to get even the tiniest bit of movement from him. He was so dead to the world that she took into consideration to call a sleep expert and ask if humans, too, could fall into hibernation. But then she decided to rather get the much-needed work done before he would get up on his own.

Briefly looking up from behind her laptop as he entered the kitchen area, she asked with a demonstratively carefree tone, "Morning. How was your sleep?" She slightly shifted around in her chair to better pay attention to him, and to find out if he still showed any signs of weirdness – more than usual, that was.

Lucifer stared in her direction, flashing his widest grin at her as their eyes met, and answered cheerily, "Morning, love." He turned his head in the other direction, stating "Quite refreshing" into space, and walked directly to the fridge, announcing loudly as he poked his head into it, "I'm starving."

"I made some sandwiches for you; they're in the oven," she informed him and was glad that at least something seemed to function normally in him. But then again ' _normal_ ' wasn't a word she would describe Lucifer with in the first place.

Lucifer looked back at her, flashing her another bright smile as he closed the fridge with an accompanied "Ah, thanks" and turned around, opening the oven door and taking out the plate. He used his foot to close it again while he leant against the kitchen counter, taking a large bite and moaning loudly, "Mh, that's good."

Chloe gazed at him in wariness. His overly casual behaviour seemed put-on and matched that of her daughter when she tried to hide some wrongdoing from her mother. Knowing that Lucifer hadn't done anything to displease her since the day before, and presuming that even he himself couldn't get up to any nonsense within the hour she'd left him alone upstairs, she mentally concluded that the bad dream he'd had must still rankle him. Automatically, she wetted her lips and observed him as he took his second bite. She knew Lucifer – too well to do her heart any good; he would never broach it on his own and it was up to her, once again, to bring up the topic and get him to speak his mind. Putting on her best mummy-voice, she asked him softly, "Do you wanna talk about what happened last night?"

Lucifer rolled his eyes and instantly let the rest of the sandwich drop on the plate. _'Not that tone of her again!'_ he thought to himself and wondered if she was aware of how much she sounded right now as if she was talking to a child. Chewing on the remains in his mouth, he silently looked for a way to get out of this _discussion_ , but already knew she wouldn't let go of the incident until she had some answers. "Well, I didn't know sweating could be so energy-sapping. But it was definitely my first and last time, I assure you," he replied with the first thing that had popped up in his mind when his mouth was clear and mentally patted himself on the shoulder. Without attracting attention, he could also learn if she thought any less of him now that he'd showed her this... weakness, and at the same time, he would make sure she understood that this definitely was a one-timer.

"It was your second," Chloe corrected him right away before she could hold her tongue. Seeing his doubting look piercing directly into her, she had no alternative than to elucidate further. "You started sweating after the party. When we... well... after we..." she stammered and trailed off, clearing her throat. Was the temperature in the room suddenly getting higher?

The confusion on his face turned directly into a wide cheeky grin as he saw her flustered cheeks. He recalled the moment and stared at her with delight, ready to strike with his teasing as he slowly approached her. "You mean when we had our tongues in each other's throats, snogging each other senseless? And rubbing our hips against each other like we were lighting a fire?" he prompted her memory, and the blushing on her cheeks turned into a dark shade of pink. Chloe hastily ducked behind the lid of her laptop, and his joy almost made a double jump. "Det-" he called out loudly but quickly cut himself off as he became aware of the mistake he was about to make, and took a breath to compose himself. "Well, that was a slip of the tongue that shouldn't have happened as well," he commented in a deep voice, silently scolding himself about it. With the teasing instantly forgotten, he harrumphed and decided it was best to completely change the topic to get them both out of the awkward moment. "What are you working on?" he inquired in his usual unperturbed voice and went around the table, stopping right next to her to have a direct view of her screen.

Chloe exhaled silently, ignoring his close presence, and answered him straight away. "Just trying to get all the residents we met yesterday in order." She gazed at him out of the corners of her eyes, swallowing her nervousness as he moved closer to her, and attentively stared at the screen at what she had so far. "I compare them to the few pictures they already had of the residents," she went on, "add names to those I know, and try to sketch those that were at the party but not in my files so far. When I know in which house they live, I mark it on the map as well."

Lucifer suppressed a chuckle at the composite sketches; some of them were quite good, but most were simply rubbish. "Well, you don't have to picture them from your memory," he informed her and straightened himself, overhearing her low relieved breath as he stepped away, put the plate down on the table and left the kitchen. "I took the liberty to take some photos with my phone," he disclosed to her from afar and went back up the stairs. It didn't take long and he re-entered the kitchen area, holding his phone out to her with a pleased smile.

At first, Chloe was highly impressed at his much-improved investigation skills, but as she scrolled through the many pictures on his phone, pictures that showed mainly one person – herself, she revised her mental praise for him. She sighed, smiling encouragingly at him, as she countered, "Well, to begin with: Thank you, I really appreciate your help. Maybe next time you could take actual photos of them, rather than just of me." To give more expression to her words, she turned the phone towards him, showing him a picture of her, filling the centre, with only the chin and nose of the person she'd been talking to sticking out. "I barely recognise the faces of the others," she declared and tilted her head to the side.

"Well, I had to give a reasonable explanation for why I was taking pictures all the time," he defended himself, looking at her with a straight face to hide the uneasiness he felt about what he interpreted as an implied affection towards her that was suddenly standing in the room as big as an elephant. Raising his eyebrows to let his eyes appear bigger and moving up his chin, he waited for her reply, imploringly hoping that she would buy his excuse.

Chloe mouthed a "Right!" and turned her attention back to her screen and to the phone in her hand, looking through the pictures again to find at least some she could use. She hoped he wouldn't realise that she wasn't buying anything of what he'd said and get discouraged or seal up again. Or maybe it was only the little girl in her that was hoping he'd made excuses because she secretly wanted a sign of affection from him? She pursed her lips and huffed the breath out through her nose before she concentrated on her task again.

The doorbell rang, bringing them both out of their musings, and Chloe quickly shut the laptop and turned the phone off, while Lucifer went straight to the door, opening it widely.

"Morning, my lord," Matt greeted him with a bright, cheeky smile.

"Matt," Lucifer greeted him back, pleasantly surprised, but then remembered the talk he'd had with him the day before. "Matt! Right! The jogging," he announced and turned around, adding loudly as he rushed up the stairs, "I'll quickly get changed."

Watching him leave, Chloe approached the door, asking Matt in, and he stepped inside but remained at the entrance. "Sorry, it's been a short night for us," she apologised and smiled at him in a friendly manner.

"I can imagine," Matt replied and his cheeky smile stretched up to his ears.

The way he sounded made her feel awkward immediately. Of course, there hadn't been anything inappropriate going on between her and her partner, and she felt the need to point that out right away, but she bit her tongue on that part, sending Matt an embarrassed smile instead, and decided it was best to let him think whatever he was thinking right now, while hoping she could somehow get out of this uneasiness. The saving moment came in the form of Lucifer yelling her name from the bedroom and she muttered an "excuse me" to Matt before she rushed to her _husband_.

"I don't have a suitable shirt for jogging," Lucifer exclaimed in frustration as he felt her presence in the door to his dressing room, continuing with rummaging through a cardboard box.

"I didn't even know you jogged," Chloe countered, leaning against the frame, her arms folded in front of her.

Lucifer nodded his assent and looked up, confirming, "I don't! But Matt told me yesterday that he jogs every morning at 10 and asked me if I wanted to join. I thought he'd tell me something about the neighbourhood, you know, man-to-man." He turned his head back to the box, took out the pair of shoes and track pants, and put them aside.

Chloe pursed her lips, their corners going up, and she tilted her head, nodding at him, impressed. "That was clever!"

"Really?" Lucifer asked and flashed her a smile as he looked up again.

She grinned at his child-like features and nodded once more. Kneeling down next to him, she turned her attention to the items in the box, asking him as she looked through them, "What's that box for?"

"Anderson gave this to me as a preparation. It's stuff he thought I might need," he explained.

Chloe glanced at him in scepticism and grabbed a book out of it, reading its cover, "Being the Perfect Husband -" She turned the book around, showing him the picture of an almost cartoon-like bridal couple, as she ended the heading, "For Dummies." She tilted her head again, raising one of her eyebrows, and her whole face was screaming at him: ' _seriously?_ '

"Well," Lucifer started and cleared his throat before he went on with his defence. "You know, I've never been married before. I needed to start somewhere." Seeing her failed attempt to suppress a chuckle, he grabbed the book out of her hands, putting it back, and changed the focus back to the main point. "I need a shirt!"

She nodded briefly and stood up, exiting the room, and came back shortly after, holding a shirt towards him. "Here, this used to be Dan's shirt. It should fit you."

Lucifer made a face of disgust. "I don't want to wear something Dan's body used to be stuck in."

"I took this shirt from him two years ago," Chloe countered calmly. "Since then, it's my body that's been _sticking in it_!" She emphasised the last words to point out his silly behaviour.

Instantly, both of Lucifer's eyebrows shot upwards and he stared at her with bright eyes. Licking across his teeth in a teasing manner, he queried, "Was your body naked?" Chloe growled at him, squinting her eyes, and turned around to leave but he quickly held her back. "Sorry!" he apologised sincerely and asked with an urgent undertone in his voice, "Can I have it now?"

' _At least he's back to being himself_ ,' Chloe thought and sighed before her lips turned into an evil grin and she threw the shirt right at his face.

For a moment, he was perplexed and thought she was angry, but as he saw her smile he knew she was just teasing him. "Very funny!" he countered darkly and his lips rolled up into its own grin.

"It is!" Chloe retorted as she turned around, leaving the room with a swing of her hips, and went back to Matt. A short while later, Lucifer walked down the stairs and she had to bite her lips to not laugh out loud: He didn't look anything like the fashionable man she was used to; more like the ordinary husband on a Sunday morning. ' _Wait!'_ she interrupted her own thoughts. _'When did I start to think of him as a husband?'_

"We can go now," Lucifer stated to Matt in a friendly manner as he stopped in front of him. Turning to Chloe, he informed her, "I'll be back in about an hour." He bent down and their lips met in a brief but tender kiss before he turned back to his companion and both left the house.

"Have fun," Chloe called after them, a smile on her lips as she closed the door.

Lucifer had walked a couple of steps away from the door as it suddenly dawned upon him what tiny but not in the least insignificant gesture just had happened. He wheeled his head around, staring at the door, perplexed, but then his lips stretched into a wide grin.

"Forgot something?" Matt asked curiously and slightly irritated about the other one's behaviour.

"Nope!" Lucifer answered, popping the p, and turned around, the wide grin morphed into a cheeky smile. "Let's go!" He announced and both started to jog.

Chloe turned towards the kitchen area and suddenly froze; realising what they had just done. 'Did _we just kiss?_ ' She ignored the question, sat back down behind her laptop, and got back to her work. Unwittingly, her hand moved up to her lips, and she smiled to herself as the tips of her fingers touched the skin, sending a little spark down her spine. She quickly shook herself out of her thoughts, silently commanding, ' _Focus, Decker!_ ' With a nod to herself, she turned her attention back to the laptop, opening it, and grabbed with her hand for the phone next to it – just to grasp into space. She froze again and instantly remembered the words she'd found in Fernández's notes: ' _Trust no one!'_ Had she really been so reckless and let Matt take the phone? Going through her memory to recall the moment before she'd rushed to Lucifer, she sighed with relief as the penny dropped: She'd absent-mindedly put it into her trouser pocket. Grabbing it, she smiled at ease and opened it, again looking for the pictures she could use for her work.

Suddenly one photo in particular piqued her interest: Lucifer had taken one of the picture wall. She zoomed in on the picture in the upper left corner, the one with Matt, Kelly and the familiar looking guy in between. Amelia had said that Cassandra, the first female victim, had been her best friend, and Chloe quickly opened the folder of the murder victims, checking the idea that came up into her mind. She compared the faces of the man in the middle and the first male victim, and indeed they showed the same person, with some years in between them. Now, Chloe was sure that the Clarksons and the Grays were the optimal people to start with to find out more about the first victims. Amelia seemed more trustworthy, Chloe thought to herself, but Patricia was more talkative, she conceded. Unless... maybe, the key to the case didn't lie in the women, but rather in their husbands...

/-/

Chloe was with her mind still deep in the case as Lucifer re-entered their house, making a beeline to the sink, grabbing a glass, filling it with water, and downing its whole content in one go. "That was fun!" he exclaimed, put the glass back on the counter and took a deep breath, filling his lungs up to their capacity with air. "And enlightening," he continued, turning around and stepping towards her. He briefly widened his eyes as he commented, "My head is still spinning from all the information."

Chloe stared at him, doubtfully. She glanced at her watch to check the time, and indeed, he was gone for a little longer than an hour; but he didn't look as if he really had exercised: his hair was still in place, and there was no sweat on his face or the shirt; it rather looked as if she'd just given it to him. "You sure you've been jogging?" she questioned sceptically and already depicted him in her mind sitting somewhere at a bar with a drink in his hand.

"Yes!" Lucifer assured her, amplifying his statement, "For an hour. And you know what? They have a park, a mini-golf area, a public pool, several small woods with running routes." His eyes sparkled as he listed the things, and a wide smile decorated his face as he elucidated further, "Our house really is the smallest one in this area. And Matt showed me where this McClain guy lives. The house is situated on a huge hill, about 10 minutes from here if you take the shortcut, and it almost looks like a little castle, if you have a lot of imagination," he commented with a chuckle and a shake of his head. "It has a little tower on one side and a huge balcony. Matt told me he can look across the whole area from his balcony," taking a short breath, he added, shrugging his shoulders at a loss for words, "I mean..."

"You wanna live here?" Chloe suggested teasingly, ending his sentence and smirking at him. He really sounded as if he was a real estate agent that wanted to make the newest empty home tempting for the next possible residents. And he looked so oddly adorable with the sparkle in his eyes, like a kid on Christmas Eve getting his most-wanted toy.

Lucifer shrugged his shoulders again, thinking it through and then slightly bent his head to one side as he confirmed, "Well, if I were human, old and wanted to spend the rest of my days in a fancy neighbourhood without any clubs or drugs, then definitely yes. Albeit, I'm pretty sure I could get some candymen up here, so scratch that last part." Seeing her annoyed glare at the drug reference, he smirked at her, supporting his weight on his arms as he bent a little over the table. "The people here seem really open. And I actually like Matt. Well, he's a bigger chatterbox than his wife could probably ever be, but he's also fun." Staring briefly into space, he added rather to himself than anyone in particular, "I really hope he's not the killer; although, I doubt that."

"You only like him because he calls you ' _my lord_ '," Chloe countered mockingly and a wide smirk stretched her lips.

"Well," Lucifer took a deep breath, fixing his eyes back on her as he replied, unaffected by her mockery, "Yes, he addresses me with respect; after all, I am the lord of hell."

Chloe rolled her eyes at the allusion. "You know, he only does that to tease you."

"It would be a tease if I wasn't the lord of hell, but I am," he retorted, flashing her another smile, and then went on normally, "Therefore, it's not a tease, it's showing respect." He tilted his head and nodded once to underline his statement, and his lips widened into a grin as he heard her gleeful giggle. Going around the table, he grabbed the free chair, pulling it close to Chloe, and took a seat, looking at her screen, as he commanded in a friendly tone, "Show me the map. I now know all residents' names and houses." He grabbed his sandwich, which seemed to have shrunken spontaneously since he'd left it, from the plate and took a large bite.

Chloe eyed him, surprised, and brought up the map. Not being able to suppress the urge to verify his tale, she leant towards him without attracting attention and sniffed at his shirt. He really didn't smell sweaty at all, she realised with surprise, but fresh, like cedar wood and leaves, and a very distinct, nice smell of simply himself without the artificial addition of aftershave.

Lucifer stared at her, appalled, as he caught her out of the corners of his eyes. Quickly swallowing down, he asked perplexed, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing!" she countered, instantly straightening herself and changing the subject. "So, who does live where?"

He stared at her for longer, puzzled but also curious, and a little elated by her behaviour. He waited to see if she would add anything to that part, but as he realised she was simply waiting out his reaction, he ticked off the subject and turned his attention to the screen, pointing towards the houses as he answered her question, and adding all additional information Matt had told him about them.

The main thing Chloe noticed as she listened to Lucifer was that despite the twenty couples living in this area with ages between 20 and 60, none of them, except for the Grays, seemed to have any children. She really found it suspicious; after all, they had the money to provide for them, and she was certain that it couldn't be coincidental. As his stories turned to Sam and Stanley Jefferson who inhabited the house directly opposite to their home, she remembered the question she'd wanted to ask him since the end of the party. "By the way, what about Sam? Did you get anything useful out of her yesterday?"

Lucifer stared at her, his mouth slightly ajar while he frantically searched in the back of his mind for a plausible explanation to let that topic drop. Finding none, he shifted in his seat, slightly moving his upper body away from her as he mumbled barely audible, "No."

One of her eyebrows shot upwards in bewilderment. Sam was really fond of him, and Chloe was sure he had it very easy with her. Plus, he'd really taken his time when he went to the bathroom. "'No' as in 'she had nothing valuable to say' or 'no' as in 'your superpower didn't work on her'?" she questioned and squinted her eyes a little as she awaited his answer.

Lucifer rolled his eyes in annoyance. "It's not a superpower!" he declared, slightly miffed, but as he saw her still staring at him expectantly, he answered in a normal tone. "'No' as in 'I didn't talk to her'."

"Why?" Chloe asked, now clearly perplexed.

He sighed, the discomfort written all over his face. "Because she wanted to have sex with me right there in the bathroom," he eventually threw out, stealing a glance towards her to see her reaction.

"Oh," Chloe exclaimed in a hushed voice, swallowing hard to get rid of the sudden lump in her throat, and lowered her head to prevent him from seeing the hurt in her eyes. She instantly locked away her own feelings and silently shrugged it off. He was only her partner, and she didn't have the sole prerogative to his body. They had a job to do, and his job was to get information out of them, even if this meant he'd have sex with them. She had absolutely no right to feel the sudden rush of jealousy or betrayal running around in her body, she mentally scolded herself.

Having heard nothing else than the little interjection coming out of her mouth, Lucifer felt a strange feeling of uneasiness, as if he had done something wrong. But he hadn't. And he shouldn't feel anything bad about it. After all, they were partners, and he wasn't accountable to her. Still, he felt some kind of urge to clarify what really had happened and before he could even comprehend what he was doing, he heard himself saying, "I didn't have sex with her, though." Maybe it was the way her interjection had sounded, or the way she had lowered her head, he thought, that led him to sort this out immediately. And he felt right doing so, as he saw the direct response in form of a relieved smile that she promptly hid back under her mask of professionalism, lightening his heart.

Chloe harrumphed quietly, before she turned her gaze fully to him, asking him in a tone she hoped was as nonchalant as possible, "Why not?"

He shrugged his shoulders. That was the question he'd asked himself over and over again. "Because I didn't want to," he eventually decided to say and stared back at her, looking a little lost. He huffed out his breath as her eyes narrowed in scepticism and her head moved slightly backwards, and his defence mode went up directly. "I don't constantly want to have sex with people!" he snapped at her, his eyes darkened in anger. Getting himself right back under control, he remarked with a more reasonable voice, "I didn't know I had to have sex with her."

"No, you don't have to do that at all," Chloe allayed quickly, shaking her head in an assuring manner. "I mean, having sex with anyone," she clarified, adding, "I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do."

"Good!" Lucifer replied, turning his head back to her with a determined and expecting look on his face to hide the discomfort this talk had caused. "Now, can we please get back to the residents?"

Chloe nodded, and turned her head back to the screen, continuing with listening to him as he recalled further facts about the neighbourhood.

/-/

"Well, doctor, it's been strange since the beginning of this whole undercover job. At first, I was delighted to play a part in this game, especially with Chloe at my side. But more and more, I feel these feelings and thoughts coming up whenever I'm with her, or without her, you know?" Lucifer stared up at the ceiling, shifting some more on the unfamiliar couch until the gap in his back didn't bother him any longer. "I mean, when I touch her or kiss her on the head, it gives me that warm feeling, starting here," he pointed with his finger to his heart, "and then it spreads around in my whole body, and I really have to hold myself back to not constantly cling onto her like some... some weirdo." He pursed his lips, exhaling the air through his nose before he went on, "And, well, when she kissed me on the mouth," he halted, sighing deeply as the memory rushed back into his mind and he felt the ghost of her lips on his own again. "She didn't need to kiss me at that moment, you know. It was neither expected nor necessary for our cover, but still, she suddenly went down with her head; I didn't even have the time to register what she was doing, and then I felt her lips on my own." As if trying to taste the flavour on his lips again, he licked across them. The moments that had followed after the kiss showed up before his inner eye, and he halted in his words until he found the strength to continue. "I don't know what she's doing to me. There is something inside of me that wants to come out the closer she gets and I don't know what to do about that. It's like since the kiss she's cast a spell on me. It's as if..." He halted again, for lack of suitable words to describe it with.

Lucifer was about to say some more as he heard the door being opened. He looked warily towards the entrance to see who the disturber was. As he spotted Chloe entering the study, his features instantly softened, leaving a mild smile on his lips.

"Here you are!" she stated surprised and walked inside. She'd continued working on the case after he told her everything he knew and had announced that he would go upstairs to get changed. And it had taken her a while before she registered that she hadn't heard him coming down again. It gave her a strange feeling of worry to not see or hear him at all, and she'd stood up from her seat and gone looking for him. The study had been the last place she'd expected him in; and of course, he was right here. She stopped several feet in front of the couch he was lying on, eyeing him puzzled. "What are you doing?"

"I'm having a consultation," he answered as if this was the most normal thing in the world.

Chloe stared at him, perplexed, before she turned her gaze to the chair next to her and then gazed back at him, pointing out flatly, "With Ninja Kitty?"

Lucifer shrugged his shoulders, sitting up from his position and resting his back against the backrest in the middle of the couch. "Well, since Dr Martin isn't available, I had to improvise. There's a lot on my mind that I need to discuss."

Mouthing a silent ' _OK_ ', Chloe suggested to him, her voice calm and caring, "Lucifer, I'm available. You can talk to me, you know?"

"No, I can't!" he countered without a second thought, adding to soften his exclamation, "Not in this regard, at least."

Chloe nodded at him, swallowing down the hurt she felt at his words. She was about to turn around as some words slipped out of her own mouth, "I thought we were partners."

Lucifer sighed at that, instantly feeling the pressure back in his chest at the look on her face. "We are, darling," he assured her soothingly, prompting her to turn back to him. He took a deep breath, exhaling the air again and explained, "But there are certain parts of me I don't want to discuss with you." Thinking the words he'd just used through, they suddenly didn't feel right anymore, and he corrected himself quickly. "No, not 'I don't want to'. It's more like an 'I can't'. Not until I have figured them out on my own. Do you understand what I mean?"

She nodded at him, silently admitting that she knew exactly what he meant. Before the break-up with Dan, there had been several occasions when she'd needed to sort things out on her own, but he had demanded to talk about it. She hadn't wanted to, back then, because at first, she needed to know what exactly she wanted from him, from herself, and their relationship, and where they stood. She didn't want to discuss half-thought-out thoughts with him and thereby make him confused or worried about things of which there was no reason to be in the end. And now, seeing the look on Lucifer's face and hearing his words, she knew he probably thought he'd upset her, and she felt a little sorry for making him feel bad. "Just know that if you need me to talk to, I'm here," she replied warmly and sent him a smile.

"I know," Lucifer assured her, the corners of his lips briefly going upwards to match her facial expression.

Chloe nodded again, this time in a better mood, and turned around, leaving him alone again.

She was almost out of the room when Lucifer called after her, "Why were you looking for me in the first place?"

Chloe halted and felt the heat rising up to her cheeks. Turning halfway around to make sure he wouldn't see much of her face, she quietly admitted, "I... guess I was just worried because I couldn't find you." Before he had the time to even form a reply in his head, she was out of the door again.

Lucifer gazed at the ghost of her, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, while two contradicting emotions fought a battle inside of him: delight at her words, and sadness because she was gone again. After a moment, he realised that he couldn't simply sit there and wait until one emotion got the upper hand; and he decided to cease both of them with some long overdue exercise in the large swimming pool in the garden outside that he still hadn't used yet. Smiling to himself, he stood up to leave the room as well and get the necessary items for it.

/-/

The water was pleasingly cool on his skin as he swam his lanes, and the light resistance he felt with every stroke did not only do his muscles very good, but also his mind had been distracted since he'd entered the pool. He needed only one breath for almost the whole lane, and so his head was underwater most of the time and he could fully concentrate on his senses. Lucifer felt someone approaching, and he halted his stroke in the middle of the pool, looking up to see who it was.

"Oh, look, you do own a second pair of shorts," Chloe teased him as she entered the garden and saw his head coming out of the water.

"Yes, these are swim shorts," Lucifer affirmed frankly, not quite getting her point. "Why are you mentioning that?"

She chuckled in bemusement and walked to the deck chair. "Well, because I can remember very clearly that you told me the pyjama shorts were the only pair of shorts you had..." she trailed off to let his own mind fill in the blank as she sat down on the chair, leaning back on the backrest and slightly bending her legs as she placed them on the plastic.

Lucifer swam to the shallow side of the pool from which he could easily lay his arms onto the edge, folding them to rest his chin on top, and look at her lying figure. "It was in the middle of the night, Chloe," he justified himself in a voice that was a mixture of defence and vexation. "And I was, well, just waking up from a... _nightmare_ ," he pronounced the word in distaste, making clear that he was still uncomfortable with even thinking about it. "So excuse me, if my first thought wasn't: 'Oh, wait, I have swim shorts I can use'."

Chloe bent her head to the side, suppressing a chuckle. "It's fine. I was just teasing you," she appeased him, watching him attentively. He seemed more laid-back than he had before. But still, that she could so easily get under his skin was unusual, and Chloe feared that the undercover work might turn out to be too much for him to handle.

Lucifer lowered his head, nodding to himself, and then looked back up at her, smiling. He sighed and told himself to relax. After all, she hadn't appeared uncomfortable with him lying naked next to her that night, she even cuddled against him. Remembering the moment, he couldn't stop the teasing remarks popping up in his head that would have definitely left his mouth that night if it had been under different circumstances, and his smile grew into a cheeky grin. "Wanna come in?" he asked straightforwardly, staring at her with bright, dark brown eyes.

Chloe shook her head, briefly glancing at him before she turned her attention to the book in her hands and opened it. "No thanks. I'm fine with keeping an eye on you," she stated while she browsed to the page she'd been reading last.

"Well, you could keep a better eye on me at close quarters, you know?" he countered and winked at her as he saw her looking back at him.

"Nah!" she commented and declined again, "I've had enough closeness to you for the rest of the week, thanks." She nestled further into the deck chair and held the book a little higher to better read the lines.

"You sure? The water is lovely," he continued, acquiring a taste for keeping her from reading and giving him her attention instead.

She shook her head insistently, her eyes fixed to the book in her hands. "I don't have a bathing suit, sorry," she replied nonchalantly and mentally scolded herself. She knew what he was doing, and answering each one of his questions would only encourage him to ask further, she knew that as well. After all, she was the mom of an eight-year-old. But still, somehow she couldn't keep herself from responding. It felt good to have their conversations back to easy-going bantering. And a part of her hoped that by keeping this kind of chat up between the two of them not only would help him, but also get their interaction with each other back to the way it used to be.

Lucifer grinned wolfishly at her. "You don't need one, my darling. There's nothing of you I haven't seen already." He licked with his tongue across his lips, his eyes fixed on her body.

"And there won't be anything you will see again," she countered smugly and silently told herself that this was the last reply. As much as she liked it, initially she'd come out here to enjoy her book. And the other, reasoning part of her knew that they couldn't fall into a bantering chat each time they properly needed to talk.

Pushing himself up on his arms, he heaved himself out of the water and walked towards her, grabbing both armrests of her chair as he lowered his upper body down, water pearls dripping on her and the novel in her hands. "There, there, my dear. You don't want our neighbours to think you feel embarrassed in my presence, do you?" he teased and grabbed the book from out of her hands to get her attention, placing it down next to her on the chair.

Chloe stared at him, considering for a moment that it would be wise to simply disregard his action. But then again, he would think that he had won, and despite her being the actual adult of the two of them, she didn't want to give him that satisfaction. Deciding that the best defence was offence, she provocatively raised herself, halting only shortly before his face, as she retorted boldly, "I don't give a shit what our neighbours think of me." She grinned at him and leant back against the backrest.

"Well then," Lucifer started and his eyes darkened further as a teasing idea struck him. Quick as a bullet, he picked her up bridal style and went for the pool, commenting gleefully, "I'm sure you don't mind swimming fully clothed."

"Put me down!" Chloe ordered sternly, suppressing the fright she felt at his move. One arm wrapped around his neck, she used her other to free herself of his grip, struggling to increase her chances, but to no avail; he simply grabbed tighter around her, not letting go. "Lucifer!"

"In a second," he countered teasingly, grinning at her, and stepped towards the pool.

She didn't like at all what he was doing. Why couldn't he just listen and for once do what she told him? She didn't want to tell him the real reason why she didn't want to go in the water but slowly feared he'd leave her no choice. Gathering up all her courage, she locked her fear away and demanded in an angry voice, "Don't you dare!"

"I do!" Lucifer replied smugly, ignoring the daggers she looked at him. He took the last step to the pool, making himself ready to throw her in.

Chloe felt him gaining momentum and she couldn't hide it any longer. "I can't swim!" she screamed out, but it was too late, he was already in the middle of dropping her into the pool.

"What?" Lucifer asked aghast. He tried to avert his toss by turning his body to the side, what only led to both falling into the water with loud splashing sounds. Chloe felt a bulk of little air bubbles around her as she plunged completely under water. She didn't even have time to let the first wave of panic wash over her body as two strong arms grabbed her and instantly pulled her back out of the water. "You OK?" Lucifer asked, terribly worried. He held her upper body up, his arms moving around her back and under her butt to steady her as he walked them both back to the edge of the pool. She nodded briefly, clasping her arms around his neck and holding tight, shaking from the fright and the sudden cold water she was soaked in.

Lucifer lifted her further up and sat her on the edge, quickly getting out of the pool himself before he helped her up and guided her to the deck chair, sitting her down and wrapping her in the bathrobe he'd brought for himself before he took a seat next to her. The fright in her bones was visible all over her face and Lucifer rubbed his hand across her back to warm her up.

Chloe took in a deep breath, calming herself down, and looked at him. "I'm fine," she told him reassuringly, as she saw the worry in his eyes.

"You better be!" he retorted, his worry suddenly changed completely into anger. "Why didn't you tell me right away you couldn't swim?" he scolded her, not leaving her any time to reply as he continued in a loud voice, "I put you in danger because you didn't tell the truth!" He huffed, forcing himself to lower his voice down to a whisper as he added, "Just like the first day when I put you at risk because you didn't tell me we had a visitor." He was angry at her but mostly angry at himself for endangering her.

"It wasn't my fault!" Chloe countered sternly, miffed that he had the guts to snap at her after _he_ had thrown her into the pool in the first place. The way he put the blame for his own acts on others sometimes made her want to shoot him. Again.

Lucifer couldn't look at her as he saw the anger in her eyes and he turned his head. Of course, she would think it was his fault; he wanted to tease her, and he didn't listen to her urgent pleas.

Was it guilt that had flashed across his face before he'd turned away? Chloe wasn't sure, but she was very sure about the feelings this little expression stirred up inside of her. She straightened herself and gently grabbed his chin, turning his head back to her to see a quite surprised look in his eyes. Lightly caressing his cheeks, she stated soothingly, "And neither was it yours. It was just inconvenient events."

"You could have drowned," he replied softly, voicing his fear, and fixed his eyes on an invisible spot next to her head. It would have been too much for him right now to have to look her in the eyes as he felt some emotions crawling up his throat.

"No!" She shook her head, a light smile on her face as she reminded him, "You were there, Lucifer. I know you always have my back and you will protect me, no matter what."

Lucifer sighed once more, straightening himself and with that bringing himself out of reach of her hands. He lay his hand on both of her knees, caressing the wet and cold skin. He wanted to put on his nonchalant face, to show her that everything was back to alright, but it simply didn't work. The corners of his lips dropped down as sadness spread out within him and he turned his head completely away from her.

"Does it make you feel better when I tell you that not even Dan knows I can't swim?" She looked at him, a smirk on her lips as he wheeled back around and she saw the sparkle in his eyes. "You're the only one, apart from my mom."

"Really?!" he replied, instantly flashing her his brightest smile before his reasoning kicked in and he quickly shook his head to get his mind back to the topic. "That's not the point!" he reprimanded her.

"It could be our little secret. Something that's only between you and me," she continued temptingly, ignoring his rebuke.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes but couldn't keep the grin on his face from coming to life. "I know what you're trying to do!"

"And that is?" Chloe asked smugly.

"You...you..." he was looking for words to describe it with. Thinking about what exactly her sentences caused in him, he voiced, suddenly very surprised, "You want to cheer me up?"

Chloe chuckled lightly and bent forward to run her fingers through his wet hair. "Is it working?" she wondered with a gentle voice, staring directly into his dark eyes.

He lost himself in the sea blue colour of her two sapphires and, as if drawn by an invisible force, he decreased the distance between their faces; the grin on his mouth unwittingly increased the closer he came to her lips. Somewhere in the back of his mind, his senses alerted him by a rustling noise his ear had registered, and his head shot towards that direction. He jumped up, angry about the intruder. With few, long paces he was at the bushes, grabbing behind it and pulling out a shrieking Patricia by her arm.

"How much did you hear? Tell me!" Lucifer yelled at her, his eyes glaring menacingly dark down at her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Patricia replied on the edge of crying, staring up at him with terrified, wide open eyes. "I didn't want to eavesdrop, really. I won't tell anyone that she can't swim, I swear."

Chloe ran to his side, placing herself in between him and her neighbour and grabbing his arm to prevent him from hurting her. "Lucifer, calm down," she implored him but feared his ears were temporarily deaf to her plea.

Lucifer growled darkly in Patricia's direction and grabbed around Chloe, pulling her to the side as he dragged the intruder closer, questioning forcibly, "Why are you here?"

"I just wanted to ask you to please come to the party tonight," Patricia cried out, her trembling hand clasped around his wrist, trying to free herself. Hoping it would help to appease him, she added with a slightly shaking voice, "It will be fun, I promise."

"You mean like the fun we had when you interrogated us?" he hollered and built himself up even more in front of her as she shrieked again.

"Lucifer!" Chloe called him soothingly. She put her hand on his cheek, turning his head, and finally got his attention. She saw his features soften and he let go of Patricia with a low huff. He wrapped his now free hand around her as well, hugging her, while his lips locked onto her temple, kissing her tenderly on the spot until he felt his rage subside. Chloe ran her hand across his arm, caressing him to calm him down. After she felt him relax and let go of her again, she turned her attention back to her neighbour. "Why do you want us to come?" she questioned warily.

"It will be fun, believe me," Patricia repeated nervously, looking at Chloe with a somewhat thankful smile.

Lucifer stared at her, suspicious about the instant change in her eyes when Chloe had asked her. "That's not what you want to tell us, isn't it?" He intensified his stare, studying her features. "You look rather scared."

"You scared me," Patricia replied frankly, but her dilated pupils and the beginning of a daze in her expression quickly gave away that this wasn't absolutely true.

"That's not what I meant," Lucifer commented casually and widened his eyes as he lowered himself down towards her, determined to get the truth out of her.

"Are you scared of McClain?" Chloe asked and, with that, brought her out of Lucifer's charm. She ignored the raised eyebrow of him that signalled her he wasn't pleased with her stepping in, and folded her arms in front of her chest, waiting for the woman's reply.

Patricia turned her attention to her, sighing, before she answered, "It's not that. He's just very demanding." Hoping by bringing out the good sides in him they wouldn't be scared off, she added, "He's a really nice guy, very lovely."

"As long as you're doing what he says, right?" Chloe ended her sentence, frowning.

"He's really lovely," Patricia repeated, but then looked to the ground, seeming almost intimidated as she explained, "But he can get really grumpy when he doesn't get what he wants." She sighed again, looking back at the pair with hope in her eyes. "Look, it would just be: You arrive, have a drink or two, and then, after half an hour you make your excuses and leave. And everybody is happy."

Chloe pursed her lips, not quite knowing what to think of the newly won insight. Why was this woman so adamant that they would join McClain's party? She looked up at Lucifer who tilted his head and subtly shrugged his shoulders. Turning her attention back to Patricia, she announced, "We will come tonight. OK? But you have to promise me that us two will have a little chat about that tomorrow, clear?" She expectantly stared at the other woman.

"Yes," Patricia confirmed with an eager nod, her eyes beaming with joy, giving away the instant change in her mood. She said her goodbyes and quickly rushed back to her own property.

"Come," Lucifer commented quietly. He positioned his hand on the lower part of her back as he led her back inside.

Chloe made a beeline to her bathroom, briefly glancing towards him as he disappeared in his own, before she stepped inside, taking a quick, hot shower. She swiftly dried herself off, put on some fresh clothes, and entered the bedroom, taking a seat on the big bed while she rubbed the towel that was still wrapped around her hair, drying it off. She was almost done when Lucifer entered the bedroom, dressed to the nines, and Chloe secretly wondered how he always managed to look as neat as a pin.

"To be honest, I am a little curious about how the hill house looks on the inside," Lucifer commented in his usual, unperturbed voice as if nothing had happened down there in the garden, buttoning up his cufflinks. He briefly looked at her and saw the baffled expression on her face. "Matt calls it that," he added, wondering why she still stared at him this way. He was about to ask her as her eyes widened and she laughed out loud. "Why did you just laugh?" he asked, perplexed, his voice an octave higher than normal.

"The hill house!" Chloe simply answered, grinning at him. His perplexed look didn't change and her next chuckle died down in her throat. "Haven't you seen the movie The Haunting?" she asked him. Seeing him shaking his head, she shortly filled him in. "Well, there is this house called the hill house. It was built by a man who always wanted to have children, but he and his wife couldn't get any. So, he killed little children to fill his house with their souls. Long after the man died, there is a group of people doing a sleep study in this house, and the house comes to life because one of the people there is a descendant of the owner and his evil ghost doesn't want her to leave again."

"Sounds creepy!" Lucifer countered distastefully. "Who wants to have children running around forever in their houses? Let alone their souls?" he asked rhetorically and made a shudder gesture.

Chloe tilted her head, annoyed that this was the only thing he would think of. Ignoring his behaviour, she replied calmly, "Actually, the movie is really sad."

Not wanting to go further down that path, he shrugged his shoulders and changed the topic, "So, the party starts at 10. What do we do in the meantime? Interrogate? Infiltrate? Incorporate?" he stopped his suggestions to mentally search for more words that started with 'in'.

She sighed deeply, closing her eyes and shaking her head, and silently counted to ten before she opened them again, staring at him. "Lucifer, the keyword of an undercover operation is to act as _normal_ as possible."

"What does this mean?" he asked curiously.

' _Of course, he wouldn't know!_ ' Chloe thought and explained to him, "Sometimes it's really just staying where you are and wait until something happens you can act on. We're going to the party tonight. So, until then, we stay at home, doing nothing."

Lucifer stared at her, baffled. "That sounds boring! No wonder some undercover jobs last for years."

Chloe pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes in annoyance, exhaling the air from her lungs through her nose with a huffing sound. Once again, she silently counted to ten. No, she would not risk this undercover job by strangling her partner now!

Oblivious to his partner's thoughts, Lucifer turned to her, a smug smile on his lips. "Well, I could think of a way to keep us busy. Several ways, to be exact," he implied and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Chloe grabbed the first thing available – her towel – scrunched it up and threw it with as much force as possible at him. His loud chuckle resounded through the room as he ducked and disappeared back into his dressing room.

/-/

Chloe stood in front of the large mirror in her dressing room, sceptically eyeing herself from every angle. The fabric of her chiffon mini cocktail party dress felt like feathers on her skin, and the ivory white colour reminded her of her wedding dress, as well as the price she'd seen written on the little tag when Lucifer went shopping with her. How could a breath of nothing be so expensive? She couldn't even afford this dress if she saved money for half a year for it, and she'd almost keeled over back then. Lucifer only got her to step out of her dressing cubicle by promising her faithfully to return the dress directly afterwards. Although, she really had loved the look on his face as she emerged from it. The way his jaw had dropped down almost immediately as he got sight of her gave her some kind of rush. Now that she was thinking back to it, she still felt some of it running around in her system.

The asymmetrical cut showed some extra parts of her slender legs with every step she took, and the high heeled sandals she wore, made her already long legs appear even longer and only added to the noble look of her with their tiny gemstones sparkling like hundreds of diamonds. Lucifer had averred her that they weren't real diamonds, but now that she saw them in the reflection of the mirror, she wasn't so sure anymore.

"Now look at you," Lucifer exclaimed in awe when he entered her dressing room.

Chloe turned towards him, a smile already nestling onto her face as she saw the gleam in his eyes. She turned her attention back to the mirror, sighing, and stated, "I don't feel comfortable going there without any weapon."

"Are you joking?" Lucifer asked teasingly as he approached her. "Your whole body is a weapon!" he exclaimed, grinning into the mirror as he halted beside her.

The smile on her face stretched up to her ears. "Thanks!" she replied a little sheepishly. "You don't look that bad, either," she complimented him, beholding their reflection.

The sight of his midnight black shirt beneath his black silk waistcoat together with the black trousers only added to the strong contrast between them. Lucifer saw her little nervous tick in the mirror and told her calmly, "If you want to bite on some lips, use mine, not yours."

Chloe rolled her eyes but chuckled at his comment. "Sorry," she replied, wetting her lips before she took a low breath. "It's just, I have a really bad feeling about that party." She shook her head lightly as she remembered how McClain had behaved towards them during the pool party. "The way he looked at me, at you, at us. I just can't shake off the feeling that it's going to be dangerous."

"Well, you have me at your side," Lucifer assured her and held up the diamond silver necklace with the large pendant, adding, "And this little high-tech tool here." Chloe grabbed her loose hair and held it up so he could put it around her neck. He closed the clasp and let the metal slide gently onto her neck, briefly brushing with his fingertips across her smooth skin as he let go of the necklace. Standing right behind her gave him a direct view on her bare back down to her waist where the dress had been cut out, and he had to use his whole self-control to not let his fingers run down her spine. He stepped back beside her, giving her the signal that he was done, and Chloe let her long blonde curls fall back down onto her shoulders. "Don't worry, I'm wearing my watch. In any case, we press those senders and they'll come and rescue us," he assured her further.

Chloe smiled at him, a little surprised at his composure. She had expected to hear the third sexual joke from him by now, and didn't quite know if she preferred this calm and mature behaviour of his or if she wanted her Mr-Short-Attention-Span partner back. She sighed again. "Yeah! But even if they get the notification right away, they would at least need 20 to 30 minutes to get to us. A lot can happen in those minutes," she replied and pursed her lips in worry.

Lucifer put his arm around her waist, slightly pulling her into him as he declared reassuringly, "Then my dear, always remember, I am the devil. And I will keep you safe in my arms." He locked his eyes with her, making sure she had fully understood him, before he bent down, pecking her cheek close to the corner of her lips. "Now come," he told her, letting go of her, and walked back towards the door, adding with a nonchalant tone, "Before I change my mind and have a very private party with you in the bedroom."

Chloe chuckled, shaking her head in bemusement, as she thought to herself, ' _There he is, my partner!_ ' She exited her dressing room and slowly went down the stairs, to look as elegant as she possibly could in those too tall high heels that would indeed easily serve as weapons. She saw Lucifer getting into his jacket to complete his suit and grabbing the car keys from out of the little bowl that was situated on a sideboard at the end of the entrance. "Didn't you say the McClains lived ten minutes from here?" she asked, slightly perplex.

Lucifer looked at her, a cheeky smile on his face. "I won't let you walk up that hill in those shoes." He smirked, grabbed her little bolero and held it towards her so she could slip in when she was at his side, before he went to the front door, holding it open and gesturing at her to go first.

/-/

The drive to the house was quick and Lucifer did an extra round around the hill house before he parked directly in front of the little pathway that served as a shortcut down the hill, leading onto the street to their home. He pointed it out to her, just in case, as he added with a smirk. Chloe hooked her arm into his offered arm loop and together they walked up the stairs to the big fancy door. He rang the doorbell and instantly a maid that looked too young to be of legal age opened the door.

"Welcome to the party," she greeted them in an asian accent, looking down to the floor to hide her shy smile as she got sight of Lucifer.

"Thank you, my dear," he replied politely and flashed her his brightest smile. The door was so big that both could easily step inside without having to unhook their arms first. They wanted to go further into the house when a low harrumph was heard, coming from the maid.

"The master has instructed me to collect all the car keys from the guests, so no one will be driving back home drunk," she announced, while keeping her sight fixed on the floor the whole time.

Chloe narrowed her eyes in suspicion; not only at the woman's submissive behaviour but also that she'd called McClain ' _the master'_ made her hair stand on end.

Lucifer handed her his keys, and when she briefly looked up to grab them, he flashed her another bright smile, commenting cheerfully, "Good that he cares so much about our safety."

"Thank you, my lord. Enjoy the party," the maid replied demurely and closed the door again.

They stepped further into the big entrance hall, towards another maid who smiled brightly at them, holding out her hands. Lucifer quickly took off his jacket, handing it over, before he helped Chloe out of her bolero, giving it to the maid as well. After thanks and a light nod of his head, they made their way further through the hall.

At its end, the hall led to a large room that probably once served as a ballroom, and Chloe swallowed hard when she got sight of all the other pairs in their elegant dresses and suits. It seemed as if the whole Riveroak estate had come together in this room. And it didn't help a bit that suddenly all their chatter died down and they stared at them intently. She was nervous, to say the least. Not only did she feel way out of her league compared to those upper-class people, they also seemed so at ease and confident in their appearance that she feared she would break cover any minute.

As he felt her grip tightening around his arm, Lucifer leant closer, whispering into her ear, "You look like an angel sent from heaven." Chloe turned towards him, slightly flustered at his praise, and he added, "Trust me, I know what I'm talking about." He grinned at her, and Chloe couldn't help but feel herself lighten up next to him as well.

"Too bad that this piece of heaven will directly go back to the shop after it's done," she countered, grinning, and pulled the hem of her dress into the right place.

Lucifer briefly raised both of his eyebrows, ogling her, before his grin stretched into a cheeky smile.

Chloe stared at him, wishing she sometimes had a penny for his thoughts. "What?" she asked warily.

Again, he leant closer to her, his eyes fixed on the crowd in front of them as he whispered smugly, "Did you really think I would let anyone else walk in that after I've seen it on you?"

Her cheeks blushed into a deep pink and she was about to harangue him about unnecessarily having such an expensive dress at home that she'd probably never wear again anyway, when she saw Patricia from out of the corners of her eyes, making her way towards them with a wide grin on her face. To be honest, this woman was not on the list of people she wanted to see or talk to so soon again, and she breathed a low sigh, mentally making herself ready for conversation. Luckily Amelia beat Patricia to it as she approached them from the other side of the room, flashing them a warm smile and hugging first Chloe and then Lucifer.

"You two look stunning," Amelia complimented them truthfully. "Just like the devil and his angel at his side," she teased and guided them through the room towards the people she'd been talking to.

"See, like I told you," Lucifer whispered cheekily into Chloe's ear as they followed their neighbour.

The smile on Chloe's face widened further, if that was even possible, and she lightly slapped his arm to make him stop with his flatteries.

"My dears, these are the Morans," Amelia introduced them as she halted next to the group. "Chloe and Lucifer," she turned slightly, continuing, "And this here are Edith and Walter Morris."

"It's so lovely to finally meet you," Walter greeted them, holding out his hand.

"Nice to meet you, too," Chloe replied in a friendly manner and shook the offered hand. She looked to the right, seeing Denise standing closely to them. "Hi, Denise," she greeted her and was rewarded with an equally warm "hi" from the young woman herself.

Lucifer bent forward, kissing the woman's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he announced before he turned to her husband, shaking his hand as well.

Edith was instantly flattered at the man's handsome attitude. "We really regret that we couldn't be at Pat's party yesterday. You two left quite an impression. You're the topic of every conversation since then," she informed them with a wide smile.

"Is that so?" Chloe asked, smiling a little awkwardly at them.

Lucifer's eyes sparkled in delight at the praise. "Morris," he mentioned casually, recalling the information he knew about them. "You're the one with the maid service, right?"

"Correct!" Edith replied, impressed. "How did you know?"

"Well, Matt told me a little bit about the neighbourhood," Lucifer answered, flashing them another smile.

Walter chuckled mildly. "Of course, Matt," he burst out and took a sip from his drink. "Well, if you ever need someone to cook, clean the house, do the laundry or anything else, just come over and you can choose from one of our locals."

"What do you mean by ' _locals_ '?" Chloe asked, trying to hide her suspicion.

"Well, we currently host five maids, and three boys that can clean the pool or take care of the gardens on the properties. The others are already located in the houses of Riveroak," Walter explained, visibly proud.

"So all of the maids and boys around here belong to your firm? Where did you get them from? And aren't some a little too young for that kind of job?" Chloe questioned, and she suddenly felt Lucifer's hand around her waist, lightly pressing her into him and with that, giving her the hint to immediately stop with her interrogation. She glanced at him, silently apologising, before she turned her attention back to the Morrises.

Walter laughed again, revealing that he wasn't affronted in the slightest by all her questions. "Well, we get them from the Philippines and Thailand. They come from really poor families, so we provide the flight to get here, as well as the training, accommodation and provisions. In exchange for their services, they get a salary with which they can do whatever they please. Whereby most of them choose to send the money to their families. And to your last question, Chloe, I think it is because of Maylin you're asking this, right?" he asked and sent her a cheeky grin. "Yes, she does look very young; a trait that I find in a lot of the people coming from these countries. But let me assure you, all my employees are at least 18, and Maylin herself is turning 21 in two months."

"Oh well, at least she can have a real drink for her birthday, then," Chloe commented, hoping it would make her appear less cop-like.

"Oh no," Edith shook her head vehemently. "We maintain a strict non-drinking policy for all our employees, at any time."

"Not even during their spare time?" Lucifer asked a little baffled.

"Not even then," Walter confirmed. "If we ever catch them drinking alcohol or being drunk, they'll have to leave immediately."

"Apropos, I'll quickly go and get us something to drink," Lucifer commented at the cue, his head turned to Chloe. "Behave, my love," he told her teasingly, pecking her hair.

"The drinks are on the table at the end of the room," Amelia informed him, pointing in the direction.

"Ah, thanks," Lucifer replied warmly and left the group.

"And, are you interested in hiring a maid?" Edith asked Chloe curiously.

Chloe stared at her with wide open eyes, not quite sure what to answer to that. "Well, I've never had a maid before, to be honest."

"Oh, a virgin, so to say," Edith countered and laughed at her own joke. "Believe me, once you had one, you'll never want to live without them. They are so lovely, quick and decent," she enthused.

Chloe was about to reply something as Walter interjected, "We could make you a special offer. You could test a maid, let's say twice a week for 4 hours and then decide if you want to keep her or not."

Chloe nodded politely. "Well, I need to discuss this with Lucifer first, but I could give you an answer by the end of the week?" Walter nodded eagerly, flashing her another smile, and Chloe took this as an opportunity to turn her attention to the youngest one of the group. "Denise, I haven't seen your husband at your side. Is he also here?"

"Yes, yes," she confirmed, delighted that Chloe was talking to her. Pointing towards a man at the other side of the room, she explained, "He's talking to his partner Gilbert at the moment. They're having some trouble with their online shop We-Fill-Your-Fridge dot com." As she saw the puzzled look on Chloe's face, she elucidated, "It's is like a virtual supermarket. You can register on the website and according to where you live you can select your products, like food or cleaning material provided by local supermarkets or even big suppliers. You'll pay online, and within the next hour, someone will bring you the ordered stuff. You don't even have to leave your house for that. Shopping has never been this easy," she ended and smiled brightly.

"That's quite impressive," Chloe replied, stealing a glance towards Amelia and the Morrises to see they were deep in a conversation. She turned her attention back to Denise, smiling at her. "Maybe I should try that site out, then I would have some extra time for myself."

"Yes," Denise replied brightly. "It's saving us so much time and trouble, if you don't like having all these grumpy customers around you while you wait in line to be served." She saw Chloe glancing towards the direction her husband had disappeared in and her heart made a double flip. "You two are so lovely to each other," she suddenly blabbered out, her cheeks instantly turning into a light shade of pink.

"Huh?" Chloe snapped back to her, hoping she hadn't missed a question as her mind had been shortly absent from her close surroundings.

"You and Lucifer, you really look like you're so much in love with each other, that's just so adorable," Denise went on, not having noticed the other woman's mental absence.

"Well," Chloe started and her own cheeks turned into a similar colour to Denise's. "That's just how we are," she explained with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Was it love at first sight?" Denise inquired further.

Chloe chuckled lightly, shaking her head. "I found him repulsive." As she saw the young woman's baffled look, she quickly added, "Like on a chemical level. But then we became friends, sort of. And later, well, it turned into something more, and before we even knew what was going on, we were married," she explained in a nutshell.

"That still sounds like a fairy tale," Denise romanticised and her eyes became gloomy, giving a direct contrast to her wide smile.

Chloe looked at her, attentively studying her expression and she wondered why this young woman was so keen on their love story. Their _fake_ love story, she silently reminded herself. Having now at least found out that the man she couldn't decipher at the pool party was Denise's husband, she asked her curiously, "Do you have problems with your husband?"

"With Mason?" Denise inquired right away and shook her head with sad yet laughing eyes. "Mason and me, well, we married young. I was 21 back then, he was 22, and directly afterwards we moved here. It was lovely with him for the first four months and the time before we were married, but then, he somehow changed." She sighed heavily and remarked in a hushed tone, "It's been three years now, and more and more I realise that he doesn't love me anymore."

At Denise's age statement, Chloe only thought that they both were still young. It made her wonder, even more, why she hadn't left him already. She clearly wasn't happy, so why was she still here, sticking with him? "Well, then why don't you divorce and move on, maybe live somewhere else?" she suggested and silently hoped she wasn't stepping on a too private topic.

Denise chuckled, but it only sounded as if she was on the verge of crying. "I wish I could."

This got Chloe even more suspicious. She was about to grab this young woman's arm and drag her into a private area to have a real woman-to-woman chat, as she sensed someone approaching them.

"Now, now! Why are you making a sad face?" McClain asked suddenly and stepped between them, taking Denise in a gentle hug, as he ordered, "This is a party. You're supposed to smile the whole night." Denise indeed lightened up at his words and he rewarded her with a tender kiss on her forehead. He rubbed across her arm a bit before he released her out of his grip again and turned his attention towards Chloe, putting on an overly friendly smile. "I'm very pleased to see that you could find the time to come to my little party. Are you enjoying yourself so far?"

Chloe was surprised by what almost seemed like the genuine fatherly care he showed towards Denise, and she couldn't stop her police mind from kicking in. "Yes, thank you," she replied politely, forcing the smile to remain on her lips as she asked, "Do you have children, McClain?"

"Oh, what a personal question at such a time of the evening," McClain countered, smiling at her but his eyes narrowed down.

"Well, I learned just yesterday that there is no such thing as 'too personal' in a question. It came from your wife, actually," she retorted, getting into her stride.

McClain let out a long sigh, but his smile remained on his features. "How is it that you want to know about this particular topic?" he questioned, curious but also leery of her sudden interest in his family.

"Well, I know it's been only three days for us, but so far, I haven't seen any kids running around, and this neighbourhood is too lovely to play inside the house all the time. I also haven't heard anyone mention any children, at all," she retorted but cautioned herself to not appear too nosy. She briefly glanced behind her, hoping to see her partner anywhere, but it seemed that she was on her own.

McClain pursed his lips, staring at her, and then his expression softened again. "Just because you haven't heard us speaking about children, doesn't mean we don't have any, my dear," he answered her question in a surprisingly friendly tone.

"So, are you hiding them in your basement?" Chloe burst out and mentally clutched her head, ordering herself to keep it low-key. McClain laughed out heartily and half of the residents turned towards his direction. With their eyes staring into her back, she felt even more uncomfortable and asked herself once again, where did her _husband_ get to?

"I think you better find out yourself, my dear Chloe. Let's have a look at my basement, shall we?" he suggested and started to move his arm around her.

Chloe took a step back, bringing herself out of his reach. "Thanks for the offer, but I don't want to leave the party."

"You won't leave it, darling. Actually, it's about time we move it to the lower part of this building, anyway," he informed her and took another step into her direction.

"Really?" she questioned, feeling slightly uneasy. "Well, I'll quickly go and get my husband, then." She walked another few steps backwards before turning around. She heard a soft "do that, my dear," spoken after her as she quickly went to find her partner.

Lucifer made his way through the many people, heading directly to the positioned tables at the far end. He exhaled a low sigh as he spotted only three different types of champagne to be the only options for their drinks, but then took it calmly and grabbed two flutes. "I'm glad you came," Patricia's voice suddenly piped up next to him, and Lucifer turned to her, seeing her smile but also the caution in her eyes. "Well," he started and eyed her with a wary expression on his face. "I would have preferred you ask us without sneaking up on us."

"I'm sorry," she apologised again. "I really didn't want to anger you."

"I'm not angry," he assured her serenely and his features softened. "Not any more, at least," he added and flashed her a smile. "I just prefer to keep some parts of my life private."

"Oh, since when?" Dolores McClain asked audibly, appearing out of nowhere next to him with a warm smile on her lips.

"Hello, Dolores," he addressed her friendly but then straightened himself again, asking her sceptically, "What do you mean?"

"You really don't remember me, do you?" she answered him with a question instead, and the bafflement in Lucifer's eyes grew even bigger. "Six and a half years ago, I did a short trip to downtown L.A., and there we met," she informed him and smiled pleased as she saw his expression.

This time, Lucifer's eyebrow shot up in puzzlement, he didn't remember her at all. Well, it was more than six years ago and the number of people he'd met since then could easily compete with the number of demons he'd delegated down in hell.

Helping his memory further, Dolores continued, "It was just one night. I met you in an alley. You were wearing some strange brown greyish outfit but looked so dashingly handsome, you instantly cast a spell over me with just one flutter of your eyelashes. You told me you needed money to buy a place where you could sell sin. I asked you what would you give me in return, and you simply said, ' _The best fuck of your life_ '. And by god, you were right!"

"Oh," Lucifer simply stated as the memories rushed back into his mind. "You were the one who gave me my entry fee." He smiled charmingly at her, showing her his teeth, and added, "I really must thank you for that."

"You did thoroughly that night, my dear," Dolores replied and her eyes grew bigger. "Although, since then, no other man has been able to satisfy me like you did." She decreased the space between them. "I only hoped I could get another taste of your beautiful body, _Lucifer_." She breathed his name, putting all the lust that was inside of her into its pronunciation.

"He's pure walking sin," Sam suddenly chimed in from the opposite side of Lucifer, stepping directly into his personal space and he had to take a step back, halfway turning to her to not have her arm cling onto him right away. "I wanna jump you right now," she stated and leered at him.

"Ladies!" Patricia called them to order. "Please leave him some space to breathe. I'm sure there will be plenty of him for you to devour at another time."

Normally he would have been delighted by all the attention and the almost graspable sexual desire these women radiated, but somehow he didn't feel the want to act on it at all. He was rather averse, if he interpreted the feeling correctly. Additionally, the way Patricia had said the last sentence made Lucifer's inner alarm set off. He swallowed, trying to get the beginning nervousness in him under control, and took a couple more steps back. The need to have Chloe right at his side rapidly spread out inside of him, and he decided that this was the best moment to get back to her as fast as he could.

As if on cue, he felt a delicate arm wrapping itself around his waist, and his head shot around, startled, but he instantly relaxed again as he stared into Chloe's sea blue eyes. Flashing her a relieved smile, he quickly gave her her drink and wrapped his free arm around her, holding tight. She really must have some sort of sixth sense, or possess some magic powers to have known his exact thoughts, he silently concluded, but then he saw McClain walking towards them from the corners of his eyes. He locked his eyes back on Chloe and finally recognised that she wasn't at ease at all, but rather looked startled as well. He must have scared her somehow, Lucifer thought, and his eyes instantly darkened at the man. Taking his own drink into his other hand, he moved Chloe to his other side, and with that positioned himself directly between her and the owner of the house, who'd stopped right in front of him.

McClain smiled at Lucifer in a friendly manner, before he announced loudly, "My dears, it's time for the actual party. Please get your drinks and go downstairs." He nodded at them, his smile morphed into a cheeky grin, and he turned around, leaving the room.

The other residents followed him, and soon Chloe and Lucifer found themselves dragged along in the middle of the crowd. They led them through the entrance and into the other part of the house, through a double door that led to a stairway, and they walked down countless steps. The stairway was only indirectly illuminated, and Lucifer tightened his grip around Chloe to steady her walk and hold up possible falls. Although he really didn't need to, he realised, impressed by how easily she could walk in those stiletto heels.

Another door appeared in front of them, already open, and they stepped into a tiny hallway with three doors to each side. The crowd dragged them further through the already open double door on the left, and into a big basement room that was lit by warm, yellow light.

"That is a direction, not even I would have guessed," Lucifer mumbled under his breath, baffled with a hint of shock.

Chloe gulped when she saw nothing but a big king size bed in the middle of the room standing on a platform, with all residents forming a circle around it and them. She felt taken back to the moment shortly before their interrogation game the day before, multiplied by ten, and her drive to immediately flee that room grew bigger. A loud bang was heard, accompanied by the mechanical sound of doors being locked, and her fingers dug into Lucifer's side in panic. ' _This isn't just bad_ ,' she thought. ' _This is worse!_ ' But she couldn't let the panic in her get the upper hand. She needed to keep a cool head. She needed to be able to act fast, and so the anger took over. "What the hell is that supposed to be?" she questioned loudly into the room.

"The moment we've all been waiting for since your arrival," McClain answered calmly and smiled pleased as her head wheeled around into his direction, her eyes throwing daggers at him.

Chloe took a deep breath, pursed her lips, and exhaled quietly as she stepped closer to him. "Lucifer and I are leaving. Right now!" she stated demandingly. Her whole body language emanated ' _don't mess with me_ '.

"You're free to leave after you give us a full show," McClain explained in a cheerful tone, pointing towards the centre of the room.

Chloe followed his eyes to the bed, and the anger inside of her reached a new high. She turned her head back to McClain, took another step towards him and, in one go, threw the content of her champagne flute into his face and the glass onto the ground. It shattered loudly into a thousand pieces, and Chloe turned towards the exit door, intending to leave but suddenly one of the men grabbed her arm and held tight.

Lucifer instantly rushed to them, bringing himself between Chloe and the man and pushed him away while he spat with a dark, threatening voice, "Don't you dare touch my wife!"

"Isn't this energy wonderful," McClain exclaimed cheerfully, chuckled, and took a handkerchief out of his pocket, wiping his face. "So aggressive and fierce, and yet so composed and controlled," he went on, and his voice increased as he addressed the crowd, "This is the heat I was talking about, the sexual tension that radiates from these two." Turning his head back to Chloe and Lucifer, he ended, "I am eager to finally see this tension between you explode." He took a long breath, putting the handkerchief back into his pocket, and stated, with an alarming undertone in his voice, "I'm going to make this very clear now: You two will have sex right up there on the bed. Either with each other, or each one of you with one of us. And we will watch." He lowered his voice to a more normal tone as he mentioned, "You're free to leave after we are satisfied, which will be announced by applause."

' _This can't be real!_ ' Chloe thought and felt the beginning of new fear crawl up on her. ' _What kind of sick joke are these guys playing?_ '

Lucifer stared intently at McClain, asking him with disgust, "You're forcing us to have sex in front of you? This is unbelievable and sickening! Don't you have a different way to jerk off?"

McClain chuckled again at his use of words. "Well, we're here to live a life of passion and lust. Unfortunately, external circumstances force us to take some precautions. We can't let you stay here, get us used to you or grow fond of you, and then watch you leave or risk our... _way of life_. I'm pretty sure you understand that."

"Don't worry," Patricia piped up from behind them. "I was nervous the first time, too. But after that, I swear, you're gonna love it."

Chloe's head wheeled around, looking flabbergasted at the woman. "This is not about nervousness! This is about _you forcing us_!" She turned her head back to McClain, shaking it determinedly as she objected, "I'm not giving you what you want!"

"Chloe, darling, you don't have a say in that," McClain answered calmly and nodded his head towards the door.

She looked into the direction and saw several men standing in front of it, securing it. If it were just them, she would easily be able to knock out at least three or four, and Lucifer the remaining two. But what shook her to the core was the flash of guns the men held safely in their hands. She counted at least three and was certain that more of them were armed as well. ' _Damn it!_ ' she silently cursed, before her worry increased again. ' _It's the third day since we arrived_ ,' she suddenly realised. The number of days the other two detectives had been here before their bodies were found dumped in some woods. ' _They must have forced them as well,_ ' she spun her thoughts further. And knowing that Fernández was gay, they must have noticed that they were faking the marriage and must have killed them.

Chloe made a light cringe as she suddenly felt Lucifer's arm around her upper body, but instantly relaxed again as he tenderly pressed her into him, soothingly running his thumb across her shoulder, while he addressed McClain, "You're gonna kill us if we don't do what you want."

"I would really dislike choosing this last option," McClain only answered but made very clear that he definitely _would_ use it.

Chloe made a mental checklist for a possible escape: They were close to the door, but it stood at minimum 20 against two; with at least three of them armed. They, on the other hand, were unprotected. There were three possible scenarios of how they could try to get out, but each one would end in them being dead. Even if they pressed their senders right now, it would take too long for backup to arrive. Plus, if they did so, the others could only be charged with joint unlawful imprisonment and threatening a police officer and a civilian consultant in undercover. None of them would be charged with murder if they didn't find any evidence afterwards. And the murderer amongst them would simply lay low and sing small. They couldn't risk him or her getting away with it. What led her to the conclusion: They really had no choice! She sensed Lucifer's grip around her tense up, bringing her out of her mind, and she turned around, stepping as close as possible to him, and whispered, "Do you see a way to get out of here?"

Lucifer sensed the fright in her voice. He wasn't keen on presenting his Chloe to anyone else, especially not to all in the room, but also knew they had no alternative. With her at his side, he was mortal. He could show his devil's face to scare them, but what if someone shot in fear? He couldn't risk her getting hurt, or worse, end up dead. He moved his other arm around Chloe, holding tight, while he gently pulled her further into him. "Not without risking you getting harmed, my dear," he whispered into her ear and kissed her on the head. He ran his hand across her back, feeling some of her bare skin, and admitted quietly, "I'm sorry, but I see no other option."

"I know," she assured him, and the nervousness in her grew. They couldn't just get up there and have sex in front of all these people. That wasn't the way she'd depicted it in her mind. Not that she had ever depicted any type of sexual activity with her partner, of course! Her fingers tightened their grip onto his shirt and as she looked down on them, she was shocked to discover that they were trembling.

Lucifer quickly kissed her on the cheek, instantly bringing her back into the here and now, and held his flute towards her, ordering in a gentle and hushed voice, "Here, drink."

' _He must have noticed_ ,' she concluded silently and took the champagne from him, taking a large sip. "All of it," he ordered further while rolling up his sleeves to his elbows. Chloe sceptically looked up at him. She didn't know what he was aiming at but still complied.

When the glass was empty, Lucifer took it out of her hand, one arm tightly wrapped around her, as he turned around and held the flute towards Patricia. The woman stepped up to him with a smile on her face and grabbed the glass. She was about to step back again, as she felt his hand on her own flute, taking it out of her hand with the words "May I?" Turning back around, Lucifer gave Chloe the new glass and ordered again, "Drink!"

"What is your plan?" Chloe asked sceptically.

Lucifer looked down at her, sighing deeply before he came out with it. "Getting you in the mood."

"No!" Chloe shook her head vehemently and was about to take a step back in fear as his grip around her tightened once more, pressing her further into him.

He buried the fingers of his free hand into her hair, moving to the back of her head, and gently pushed her head against his cheek. "Chloe, do you trust me?" he asked close to her ear, and her fingers grasped his shirt firmer. It took a very long second before he heard her faint but all the more determined "Yes" whispered back, and Lucifer sighed with relief. He turned his head, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before he moved his mouth back over her ear, "We both know there is no other choice. So, please, let me keep you safe."

Chloe felt her nerves overact and she started trembling within his embrace. "I can't, Lucifer. I can't," she admitted and her voice almost failed at the last word.

Lucifer rocked her slowly from side to side, soothing her. "Just imagine that this is a dream. A very wet dream," he added, not able to keep this teasing back.

"I don't have wet dreams about you!" Chloe hissed a little too hastily and pushed herself out of his arms, glaring at him; her fright temporarily forgotten. For a moment, she considered spilling the content of the drink in her hand into the next face but halted right away. He wasn't the enemy. He was only trying to lighten her up. These people were the ones she was actually angry at. And the alcohol was better placed in her system than on the ground, and so she gulped down the drink in one go.

Lucifer was surprised at her glare and the action that followed. He hadn't wanted to make her angry, just to ease her a little, so she would better get over the experience she was about to endure. He himself was used to having sex with an audience, and for his part, he felt delighted at the prospect to have it with her. But he also knew that this would be an extensive problem for Chloe. She was a very private person. And he feared that if he wouldn't be able to get her in some sort of arousal so that she would eventually enjoy their act, that this would cause major damage to her fragile soul. Quickly deciding that he could best get her aroused if she felt safe, he took the glass out of her hand, holding it towards whoever was grabbing it, before he moved his arms back around her, hugging her tight and bending down to her again, "You're having one now," he announced and his lips pressed quickly against hers. Pulling her closer once more, his mouth moved back to her ear and he ordered kindly, "Close your eyes, Chloe. Think of just the two of us." As he saw her eyes shut and felt her hands moving up to his neck, clasping around it tightly, he slowly started to sway them both from side to side. He ran his hand across her back to calm her down, and whispered against her head, "Let's have a little dance, shall we?"

Chloe nodded into the crook of his neck, and she heard nothing but the unbearably loud beating of her own heart as he started to walk a few steps with her. "Just keep your eyes closed," she heard him saying and tightened the grip around his neck, snuggling further into him, while his hand ran across the bare skin of her back. If they weren't stuck in this situation right now, she could have actually enjoyed the closeness to him. But still, with the apparent threat to both their lives, his words and gestures didn't ease the tension in her body in the slightest.

Lucifer halted the movements of his arm across her back and simply held her tight, relishing the feeling of her body pressed against his own. He turned his head towards Patricia, asking her in a hushed voice, "Can we have some music?" She nodded eagerly, stepping away, and shortly afterwards they heard the soft tunes of the song 'Dirty Mind' resounding through the room, getting louder. Chloe tensed up in his arms again, as if the sudden play of the song had reminded her of the situation they were in right now. Knowing she was too afraid to let her feet take just one more step towards the bed, he simply lifted her up. One arm moved around her behind, steadying her, and he whispered into her ear with half a singsong voice, "You are safe in my arms."

The words reminded her of the dance she'd had with him in their kitchen and also of the pleasant feeling in that moment – how safe she had felt and how secure. Somehow, this memory helped her to relax, and she could get her mind to register nothing but his arms around her and the heat of his body so closely against her own. She wrapped her legs around his hip, already knowing how to put them to have the most comfortable and the most stable support. His breath tickled the soft hairs on her neck with every exhale, and his fingers dug into the flesh of her waist, caressing the skin and stirring up some tingling inside of her. A part of her wanted to bring a halt to this immediately, but she knew, those feelings were exactly the ones she needed to get going. "Lucifer, I-" she started slowly but was instantly cut off by him.

"Shush. Let me take the lead," Lucifer whispered against her ear, and he moved his lips lower, lightly sucking at her earlobe and placing kisses along the path to the crook of her neck before he buried his head into it, nibbling and sucking at his favourite spot again, while his feet followed the path to the centre of the room.

He walked the two steps up to the platform the bed was on, and briefly glanced at her face, making sure that her eyes were still closed. His hand on her back moved upwards, following her arm to her hand and he grasped it, intertwining their fingers, while he asked her quietly, "Remember how to swing back?" Chloe nodded lightly. The two corners of her lips pointing slightly south revealed that she still wasn't as relaxed as he wished she'd be right now, and he watched her attentively. Her eyes started to stir and he quickly pressed tender kisses onto her lids, silently reminding her to keep them close. "I'm swinging you back, now," he let her know and brought her arm behind her back.

Chloe let herself fall backwards, knowing that he would instantly pull her back up again, and as she was in a vertical position again, he praised her softly, "Very good." She didn't need to see him, to know that he was smiling widely at her. The music was irritating, it stirred up some feelings inside of her she didn't want to have right now, despite knowing they would be beneficial for her situation. At least the music was loud enough so that the others wouldn't hear anything they were saying to each other, and it also made her almost forget that they had an audience at all. Again, he moved her arm backwards and Chloe let herself fall down, this time lower until he pulled her back up, swaying some more with her while he kissed her neck again. She tightened her grip around his neck a little as she felt his fingers digging into the flesh of her butt cheek, sending some very distinct signals to her core. A part of her regretted that her body was reacting to his touch already, after one day of closeness. It made her feel at the mercy of him, and she didn't want to be at anybody's mercy.

Lucifer took another step forward, placing his knee on the end of the bed as he let her swing back again, this time so far that her back came in contact with the soft mattress, and he let her sink fully into it. He placed his other knee on the mattress as well, squatting down, and admired the sight of her body, slightly stretched since he still held her behind and, with that, her hips close to his own. His free hand ran along her dress with enough pressure to feel the shape beneath while making sure that none of the fabric slipped out of place. She was _his Chloe_! And he would make sure that no one else would ever see a part of her body that was reserved for only himself! Lucifer chuckled silently as he became aware of the possessive thoughts in his head. He liked thinking of Chloe as his. And if the situation wasn't so life-threatening, he would have enjoyed what he was about to do with her. Still, deep inside of his mind, he couldn't get rid of the thought that he'd force her to something. He quickly shook it off. It wouldn't help anyone, especially not Chloe, if he suddenly started to freak out himself, and so he pushed all his feelings aside and concentrated on what was right in front of him. His upper body followed his hand along her body, and he was bent forward, closely above her head as he once again intertwined his fingers with hers. He moved his hip lightly from side to side while he gripped firmer around her butt and pressed her against his groin.

A soft moan escaped her throat and Lucifer grinned cheekily, delighted to see the expression on her face changing to that of pleasure. He could have watched her for eternity, underneath him, how she slowly started to enjoy the moves he was making between her legs, but knew these people didn't just want to watch them looking at each other. He moved his head further down, gently kissing her neck, then her chin, up to her cheek until he was above her ear again. "Just keep your eyes closed," he reminded her once again, knowing very well the power of pretence, and this time she answered with a smile.

Lucifer unlocked his hand from hers again, moving back down her arm, along her breast, brushing only lightly above its peak that was pressing against the palm of his hand, making very clear how aroused she already was. He moved his fingers further down, passing her waist, feeling her hipbone lightly sticking out before he came in contact with the soft skin of her bare thigh. He looked up at her, seeing the quickened rise and fall of her chest, indicating the low pants she took to fill her lungs with air, and he smiled to himself, pleased. Moving his hand back up and under her dress, he grabbed the hem of her thong, pulling it over her butt cheeks as he finally lowered her hip onto the mattress. His other hand grabbed the little fabric as well, and evenly he moved the little white breath of nothing along her thighs and over her feet. He balled the thong up, not able to resist taking a deep breath from the fabric and smelling her tantalising scent before he stowed it in one of his pockets. He couldn't wait to finally bury himself between her legs, he thought and moved his hands around her ankles, just to recognise that she had totally tensed up again.

When she had felt his hands on her thong, removing it, the fright got the better of her again. She instinctively pressed her legs firmly against each other, unable to tell her mind to relax again, as his warm hands clasped around her ankles, trying to open her legs. Chloe's eyes shot open, and she stared at the ceiling at the edge of a panic. He would have been able to open her legs if he'd used force, she knew that, but she was also certain that he wouldn't use force on her.

Lucifer crawled back up to her, his bent legs to her sides and his arms resting on each side of her head. "Chloe," he called her softly, getting her attention, and sent her a warm and soothing smile. "You're safe," he assured her, seeing the angst in her eyes and feeling her chest lifting and lowering in heavy pants that were fed by the mixture of arousal and fright. Chloe started to move her head to the side, and he quickly bent down fully, shielding her view from their surroundings and fixing her sight on his eyes only, hoping to get her back into the _dream_. "I won't hurt you," he softly assured her.

"I know," Chloe whispered back, using all her self-control to get the panic inside of her back under control. But it wasn't as easy for her as it was for him. After all, he wasn't the one that was lying on this mattress, already half-naked, about to get penetrated by someone who was far away from being romantically involved with her in any form.

Lucifer smiled at her, pecking the tip of her nose with his lips as he suggested, "Just imagine we are in our bedroom. Alone. Can you do that for me?" As he saw her nodding her assent, he added with a smile, "Now close your eyes." He saw her comply with that as well, and lowered his head further down, lightly brushing against the edge of her mouth, placing a kiss on the spot, while his hand caressed across the other side of her cheek. "Remember what you told me at the pool?" he asked expectantly.

Chloe nodded again, whispering towards him, "You will protect me, no matter what."

"And that's what I'm going to do," he affirmed in a hushed voice. The desired effect, however, transformed into its opposite.

Chloe opened her eyes again, her hands moving up to his, grabbing around his fingers as she countered quietly, "Lucifer, they want us to have sex!"

He chuckled involuntarily. The situation was far from funny, he knew that, but it was also some bittersweet irony that the moment he finally was able to be intimate with her would be a forced one. Gently laying himself on top of her, his weight supported by his arms and legs, he tenderly kissed her neck and whispered into her ear, "And they'll see a little bit of that, but not the whole show."

"What?" she turned her head towards him in surprise, accidentally locking herself directly onto his lips and he kissed her firmly before he raised his head again. His sudden mouth on hers made her forget what she was about to say. Almost. She quickly shook herself out of it, appealing urgently to him, "There is no such thing as 'a little bit of sex'. You either have it, or you don't."

Lucifer kissed a trail from her mouth down to her ear, lightly nibbling at its lobe, keeping her body in its aroused state while they talked. "Not when the real reason for them is to get horny," he countered softly, adding, "What I assume since they said we have to keep going until we hear applause. So, we're going to make them as horny as possible without doing the actual deed."

"How?" she asked and the sudden move of his hip above hers made her suck in a breath.

"I'm going to kiss your lips," he answered and grinned cheekily at her.

Chloe stared at him, baffled. She opened her mouth to say something again, as he lay his thumb onto her lower lip, stopping her.

Lucifer licked his own lips as he felt the tender flesh beneath the tip of his thumb. He moved it from side to side, flashing her another smug grin, and announced in a hushed tone, "Not those lips." The tip of her tongue unwittingly brushed against his thumb and Lucifer growled deeply in arousal, his eyes darkened as he fixed them onto her lips. "Those will come later." He wetted his lips again, removed his thumb, and rested his arm back to the side, keeping her close and secure. "Are you fine with it?"

His innocent question almost made her laugh out loud. Yes, Lucifer really could surprise her in the most impossible situations. She quickly considered if they had a chance to get out of this with her faking an orgasm, but instantly came to the conclusion that it was already hard for her to simulate one with one person around, how was she supposed to mislead a whole crowd? Plus, she didn't even want to think of the possible consequences if they caught them. Taking a deep, low breath, she briefly squinted her eyes before she locked them back with his dark brown ones. "Do it!" she ordered determined, and mentally made herself ready.

Lucifer nodded at her, relieved that she agreed to his plan. Supporting himself, he got back into a crouching position. He planted kisses along her neck, down to her cleavage and closed his mouth above the peak of her breast, breathing hot air down on it before he flicked with his tongue across the hard tip underneath the fabric. Her soft gasp stirred up his own arousal and he quickly stopped himself, knowing too well that he wouldn't be able to just place his head between her legs if she kept on making those sweet noises. Moving further down, he was finally above the triangle of her legs and abdomen, and he pushed up her dress until he had a nice, direct view of the spot. He ran his hands across her skin, caressing and kneading her flesh, while he placed soft kisses around the centre, moving closer with every round. He didn't need to rush, knowing that she would open her legs on her own when she was ready.

Chloe knew they could only survive this if she would finally stop thinking and start to just react to his hands and lips. Just like her body had done already, betraying her so easily as it sent shivers down her spine from his touch, and the ecstasy his lips had awoken within her simply with his mouth over her nipple; with fabric in between. Heck, he didn't even touch her fully or in the sensitive spots on her body and she already wondered how he would feel inside of her. And now, feeling his mouth so close to her core, placing kisses around that area, running his hands along her thighs, and, oh dear, darting his tongue forward from between his lips and rubbing little circles across her skin... She knew she was already dripping wet, and this time her reluctance to open her legs wasn't because of any fright. It was because she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing what he could do to her so easily, how much power he actually had over her.

A loud moan came out of her throat and she involuntarily curved upwards with her upper body as his tongue drew a direct path down to the triangular spot where her thighs met her abdomen and dipped down into the centre, disappearing between her legs and rubbing against some very sensitive skin shortly above her clit. ' _Fuck it_!' she thought to herself. ' _If I have to endure this, then at least_ _I'll do it_ _with as much pleasure I can get,_ ' was the last thought in her mind, before she shut it down completely and let her body guide her. She opened her legs, willingly letting him down to her core.

Lucifer grinned against her skin as he felt her being already wet and inviting. He licked across her folds, shortly dipping into her hole before he moved his tongue further up and its tip nestled onto her sensitive nub, rubbing across it in little circles. Chloe sucked in a sharp breath and then stopped breathing completely as she felt a first wave of heat running through her body, tickling every nerve ending and setting her on fire. The air in her lungs ceased and eventually, she had to take another deep breath, sucking it in and gasping for air. She was shortly before coming and his tongue moved back down, not wanting to release her so soon. He licked across her folds, sucking them into his mouth to play with them, before his tongue moved further down again, dipping into her hole again and sliding in and out with quick, skilful movements. He grabbed one of her legs, placed it on his shoulder while lightly stretching her other leg, making sure that he was always between her private parts and the crowd, as he gave himself better access to her sweet centre, lowering himself deeper down on her.

Chloe moaned loudly as his tongue went back up again, ready to tease the little bundle of nerves again, and her fingers dug into the sheets of the bed. His hands continued running across her thighs, caressing her skin, and the sensation they left on her body were almost too much for her to handle. Her body started to tremble as several shivers rushed through her. Soft cries escaped her lips, pleading him to give her release.

Lucifer moved his tongue back down, continuing with licking and kissing across her folds and the outer parts of her sensitive centre, giving her some time to fill her lungs with air again before he would nestle back down on her clit. One of his hands dug into the flesh of her upper thigh, kneading the muscles and holding her in position, while he moved his other one up. Her body shuddered under his touch until he reached her more steady ribcage, sensing her panting and hearing her gasps as his fingers moved up to her breast, caressing the skin and feeling the hard tip as he gently teased it with his palm, sending tingling sensations through her body and down her spine.

Under any other circumstances, he would have enjoyed that play of arousal and teasing thoroughly. And he definitely would have taken more time to explore her body. But this moment didn't leave him such pleasure. Right now, all he wanted was to make sure that Chloe enjoyed it as much as possible. And according to her reaction to him, he was certain she did to the fullest. Grinning to himself, he moved his tongue back up, ready to give her another and final ride.

Chloe sucked in another breath as she felt his tongue back on her nub again, rubbing against it with decreasing and increasing pressure. It was as if he knew exactly how to play with her to get her as aroused as possible but without setting her off, and it almost drove her crazy. She moved her hands to his, digging her fingernails into his upper hand beneath her dress, and gripping his lower hand, feeling his warm fingers intertwine with hers again, as he pushed her further and further towards the edge. The direct touch from him sent warm waves through her body and he clasped her hand tightly, reassuring her that he was with her and wouldn't let go. Her panting increased and she let out some frantic gasps. Her upper body curved upwards again and she squeezed her eyes shut as finally, the tingling started in her core, spreading around her body like a firework, letting her explode and her whole body convulsed with pleasure. He continued rubbing her clit, helping her ride out her orgasm before his rubs turned into sucking and kisses over the tender flesh.

Lucifer smiled cheekily, feeling delighted that she was set into such sweet ecstasy and knowing he was the reason for it. He sighed against her skin, his muscles relaxing as well as he tasted her fluids further. He couldn't help himself. She was so delicious that he wanted to lick up every drop of her. Placing soft kisses onto the area, he chuckled as he heard her sharp inhale of breath when he came across her clit again. He could barely hold himself back from pulling out his tongue and teasing her some more. And something else stirred up inside of him that he could barely hold back: He felt heat rising up in the back of his head, knowing this feeling all too well and quickly pressed his eyes shut as his pupils flashed up in their fiery red colour. Forcing it back down to the core of his own body, he tensed, only relaxing again, as it finally ceased and disappeared. He didn't know why it came up so suddenly. And right now, he didn't really care, either.

Finally releasing her centre from out of his care, Lucifer raised his body and crawled back up to her, lowering himself back down on her, his limp supporting his weight again, as he kissed his way back up to her ear, whispering into it with a soft moan, "You're so delicious!"

Chloe wheeled her head around to him, startled, embarrassed and also flustered by his words, but she didn't have time to fully process them as his lips crashed down onto hers, kissing her tenderly, while he ran his fingers through her hair again. She weakly moved her hands up to him, still too exhausted from her climax to do this in one move. But she needed to wrap her arms around his neck again, to feel the safety of his body close to hers. He moved his hand out of her embrace and back around her shoulders and head, pulling her into a hug, while their lips didn't leave their place even once. His legs tangled into hers, making sure he had as much body contact with her as possible and also letting the others only see as little of her skin as necessary.

They heard a single clap of hands from somewhere in the room, and soon the clapping loudened and it ended with the whole room applauding around them.

Lucifer grinned against her mouth, unable to resist the victory. "Hear it? I told you!" he announced smugly and stared into her sea blue eyes.

Chloe chuckled lightly, smiling at him. The loud applause brought her instantly back to where they actually were. That they had an audience around them, and that they had been forced. Her initial feelings of relief and delight quickly turned into shame and humiliation, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. She tried to swallow them down, but couldn't hold them back from running across her cheeks as her emotions overpowered her and she started to sob.

"Shush, it's alright now. It's over," Lucifer soothed her, hugging her tighter and planting kisses on her head, hoping this would make her feel better.

Chloe nodded against his neck, taking a breath to calm herself down, and swallowed down the tears that were still inside of her. No, she would not show these people how much they actually got under her skin. She was strong, these people couldn't break her. Taking another deep breath, she moved her head backwards, staring at Lucifer and sending him an assuring, thankful smile. She saw him smile back, but then his eyes shut close, and suddenly he looked as if he was in pain, or distressed by something, and she instantly worried about him. "Lucifer?" she called his name softly, but it seemed he didn't hear her.

Lucifer had felt another flash of his fiery eyes building up and needed his whole strength to suppress it again. He didn't want to let her see his other eyes. He couldn't. Not now. Not after the moment they'd just shared, in the middle of a bunch of strangers, but still so purely intimate as it had never been between them. When the rush died down and he could finally lock it back inside of him, his body started to tremble, and, exhausted, he let his head drop down next to hers.

Chloe moved her hands up to his head, steadying it in front of her so she could take a closer look at him, and she got sight of the sweat pearls that were forming on his forehead. He panted, and his body shivered as if he'd just run a marathon, so her worry for him increased further. "Can we go now?" he asked her through gasps, adding with a voice that was barely above a whisper, "I'm not feeling well."

Her protective instinct kicked in immediately. Something wasn't right! She needed to get him out of here, as soon as possible. She needed to get him to safety. "Can you hold on for a little longer?" she asked him in a hushed voice, full of concern, and sighed with relief when she saw his nod. Getting up, she helped him up as well, making sure that he got as much support as he needed without the others seeing that he was in distress. She didn't know what they would do if they saw him weak. And right now wasn't the time to rely on their humanity. She moved her arm around his waist, holding onto him tightly, steadying him as they both walked towards the exit door. His arm lay around her shoulders, and he leant into her while trying to look as casual as possible to the people around them.

The fifteen feet from the middle of the room to the exit felt endless and she sighed relieved as they finally reached the door. Still, it was blocked by the three men holding guns, and she turned towards McClain, glaring at him darkly. "You said when you applaud we're free to leave."

"Of course," McClain replied, smiling beatifically at the pair in front of him.

"Then, get out of the way!" she hissed towards the direction of the three men.

They waited for the signal from McClain before they nodded at him and quickly unlocked the doors, holding them widely open to both sides. Chloe and Lucifer were about to go through as McClain's voice resounded behind them.

"I'm having another party tomorrow," he informed them cheerily.

Chloe's head shot back at him, spitting, "We will never set another foot in your house again! You can be happy if I don't call the cops on you immediately."

McClain chuckled mildly, completely ignoring her threat. "I know that tomorrow you'll be back at my doorstep, my dear Chloe."

Her reply was an angry glare, accompanied by a growl, before she turned her back on him again and together with Lucifer walked back upstairs and out of the house as quickly as they could manage. Once he started moving, Lucifer walked quite steadily, but he couldn't trick her. Something was very odd about him; he hadn't spoken a word since they left the bed, and, worse, he held onto her as if she was his lifeline.

The full moon shone on them, lighting their way as they walked towards his car. Chloe quickly leant him against the boot, while she searched for the car keys. A moment passed before she remembered where they had left them and she turned her head back towards the house, glaring at it in anger. No! She would not go back up there to get the keys, not now! All she wanted was to get him to their house, into safety, to see what was going on with him. It was only a ten minute walk from up here down to their house, Lucifer had told her so, and she decided that they would take it. Pulling off her high heels, she tossed them into the back of the car before she moved her arm back around his waist again, and helped him up. Together they walked towards the shortcut. Chloe felt every little stone of the driveway under her feet, and she was glad when they finally reached the soft surface of earth and grass.

Leading him down the path was easy. The way was brightly lit by the full moon above them, and Lucifer could grab onto the branches of the trees, steadying himself and putting less pressure on her. They almost made it to the end and onto the street that led directly to their home, when the trembling of his body increased again. He tried to hold onto her, and Chloe let out a startled shriek when she saw his surprised and frightened eyes staring at her in the moment he broke down right in front of her.

"Lucifer!" She cried out, trying to get him back up, to get him moving, but his body seemed to suddenly weigh a ton. "Damn! What did they give you," she mumbled to herself, assuming they somehow must have drugged him. She couldn't get any reaction out of him, his eyes only stared directly up into the night sky.

Lucifer let out a low chuckle, his head was spinning, but her words had resounded very clearly through his ears. "You," he simply answered and his lips morphed into a grotesque grin. His eyes were fixed onto the stars that shone above him, and the last thought he had was, ' _When was the last time I_ _i_ _temised them_ '.

"Come on, Lucifer, we need to go," Chloe told him, hoping her order would somehow get him back up, but her attempts were useless. She looked at him, full of worry. His stare was fixed upwards, and he didn't react to her at all anymore. She lowered herself directly above him, hoping he would turn his attention to her face again.

"Lucifer?" she asked at the edge of a panic, trying to get any reaction out of him again. But nothing came. Suddenly his eyes rolled back into his head, leaving only the white of them behind, and her panic took over.

"LUCIFER!"

* * *

 **A/N:** End of the chapter. I hope you liked it, and it wasn't too disturbing for you to read. The song they were playing is called "Dirty Mind" by Boy Epic; a great song, very fitting, you could give it a listen. And maybe leave a comment how you liked the chapter, and the characters evolve.

Have a nice day!

:o)


	4. The more I get the more I want

**A/N** : My dear readers. Thank you so, so much for all the lovely reviews. Here comes another chapter with Chloe and Lucifer against the Riveroak state ;) I hope you enjoy it as much as the last three chapters.

This chapter was **beta-read** by Daemon, all remaining mistakes are my own. :D Thank you, you're awesome!

Enjoy!

* * *

 _The more I get the more I want_

o~o

Lucifer awoke slowly. He felt the warmth of the sun rays on his face and, after blinking several times, also saw the bright yellow light shining through the window. He looked around and noticed Chloe's side of the bed was empty. ' _Deja vu!_ ', he thought, and stared at the ceiling, grinning. He raised his hand to rub his eyes and noticed the shirtsleeve covering his arm. ' _Well, almost_ ', he silently added, and looked further down on him, staring at his bare chest and the opened shirt covering his sides. There was a blanket wrapped around him. He grabbed it, pulled it up and peeked underneath. He was wearing his trousers as well, only his shoes were missing. ' _Where_ _are_ _they?_ ', he wondered. ' _And more importantly, how did I get here?_ '

He took a deep breath, filling his lungs to their full capacity with air, and shut his eyes again, trying to recall what had happened the night before. The last thing he remembered was Chloe and him getting out of that house; and stars, many, many stars around him, and right in the middle two sea blue sapphires staring at him. A pleasant rush ran through his body as he thought at the owner of those sapphires.

But it wasn't only the pleasant rush he felt. There was also some sort of new energy running through his body. He felt strong and powerful, just like in those times when he'd still lived in heaven. Where did this energy come from? But, more importantly, did he really want to know?

His stomach rumbled loudly, reminding him of how hungry he was, and he tossed the covers aside in one swift move, jumped out of the bed, and disappeared into his bathroom. It didn't even take him twenty minutes before he was ready and on the way to the kitchen. Chloe stood in front of the stove, frying something and he stepped next to her, greeting her cheerfully, "Morning, love."

She jumped in fright, startled at his sudden appearance, and took a step back. Inhaling deeply to calm down her thumping heart, Chloe got herself enough under control to let her voice come out steadily. "It's already past noon," she pointed out, smiling briefly and staring at him, but her eyes remained fixed on his collar. She was so glad that he was finally awake now, it felt like a heavy stone fell from her heart. Still, the sight of him also stirred up the memories of the night before which had occupied her mind since she'd set a foot into their house. She'd only managed to push them to the back of her head some minutes ago when she was busy with preparing food. Getting reminded of it all again let the fear instantly come back and spread out inside of her.

"Oh!" Lucifer commented her words in a low voice and observed her intently. He smiled at her, but it didn't reach his eyes. He was rather confused at her atypical behaviour. She had a spatula in her hand, watching two sandwich slices fry up before she flipped one piece over the other. It looked mechanical, nothing like he was used from her. And also, any further reaction was missing from her, like the smile on her face she usually wore, or the occasional glance towards him. He started to frown. She didn't look alright; not at all. It seemed as if his close presence to her made her somehow uncomfortable, and that was the last thing he wanted. Therefore, he took a step back.

After a moment of silence, she spoke up, informing him, "I've made some sandwiches. Thought you'd be hungry." The one on the stove was done, and she stepped towards the oven.

Lucifer walked backwards, giving her enough space to easily open the lid, and watched her taking out a plate that was packed with pieces of bread.

"Thank you," he replied, smiling. "I think those will last for the next week." He ignored the food, his own hunger long forgotten. He tried to grab her hand, but she quickly pulled it away before he was even close enough to brush against her skin. Chloe had smiled briefly at his joke, but right after, her lips had turned back to their distressed position that seemed to be plastered onto her face. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

Chloe nodded, too eagerly to convince him. "I'm fine. Thanks," she answered and grabbed for the spatula. She put the newest sandwich onto the others and gestured him to dig in. Then, she stepped back to the stove and placed the tool in her hand aside.

"Chloe, you don't look fine," he remarked with concern. "You rather look...," he stopped and stared at her attentively to find a suitable word: She had bags under her eyes that were deeper than the Mariana Trench, and from what he could see, her eyes were puffy and red, as if they were inflamed, or she'd been crying. "Horrible," was the word he eventually chose to use, and the worry for her doubled.

A low chuckle escaped her throat when he stated the obvious. She pulled her hands back into the sleeves of the long sweater she was wearing, grabbed the cuffs and clutched them so her whole arms were covered by the fabric; like a shield, she tried to hide behind. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes and she quickly wiped them away, sniffling audibly in the process.

"What is with you, Chloe? Please tell me. What happened?" Lucifer asked, puzzled.

Chloe let out another laugh and as it turned into a desperate cry, she instantly pressed her hands over her mouth, trying to stifle it down. She snivelled again, wiping the running tears away, and when she felt herself back under control, she answered brittly, "Lucifer, you know what happened. You were there!"

After speaking those words, she looked up at him, this time directly. Her eyes seemed so sorrowful that he almost expected to see a broken soul behind. But she wasn't broken. He'd made sure of that. He had protected her. He'd kept her safe. Lucifer wanted to step forward, wanted to wrap his arms around her but he held himself back. She clearly didn't want him near her. And he'd respect that regardless of the feelings this rejection stirred up within him. "Chloe, did I hurt you?" He didn't know where this question had come from so suddenly, but it was so tremendously huge inside of his mind, that he simply needed to let it out. He needed to know if she felt like he had forced himself on her.

"No!" Chloe cried out insistently, vigorously shaking her head. "You didn't hurt me, Lucifer. You were perfect to me. So gentle. I really felt safe with you. _They_ are the ones who hurt me, us. _They_ forced us to do something neither of us wanted to do." And it made her angry. So angry that they were able to get her to a point where she was defenceless; where she was unable to protect the both of them any longer. And it also made her angry about herself. She'd allowed them to get so close to her because she didn't expect they could be able to commit such a horrible act. Despite the knowledge that there was a murderer amongst them, maybe even more. Despite knowing how many victims this murderer had already killed. Innocent victims. Detectives. Colleagues...

Lucifer tilted his head to the side and observed her attentively. She looked as if she had a silent conversation with herself. All the emotions ran across her features, causing contradicting expressions, and suddenly it changed to something very distinct; something very painful. "Chloe, please talk to me," he pleaded softly and her eyes looked back at him, filled with tears.

Chloe took a deep breath and clutched her arms tightly around herself, providing some sort of comfort as she felt herself starting to shake. "I wanted to have Anderson with me," she began, but her voice broke into a high-pitched cry at the end. She halted, took another deep breath, and when she felt stable enough to continue, she vocalised the thoughts that were running around in her mind since the beginning of dawn. "I didn't want you on this case... And if you hadn't insisted on joining me, it would have been him. I would have gone to the party with Anderson," she halted again, forcing herself to stop thinking of the threatening possibility before she was able to explain to him what she meant. So he could understand. "I know I couldn't have done it with him. Not even faking it. And then, they would have known. And they would have killed us. Just like Fernández and Johnson," she stopped, and her eyes widened in fear when she voiced the words she couldn't stop thinking, "I would be dead now."

"But you're not!" Lucifer countered calmly but firmly. "Because _I_ was with you, and not Anderson." He looked at her, seeing her shaking slightly. She had wrapped her arms so closely around herself that her hands almost touched on her back, and again, he had to fight the urge to step closer and wrap his arms around her. It broke his heart to see her like that. "I won't let anyone harm you," he assured her softly, hoping she could find solace in his words.

Chloe nodded lightly. Her red eyes stared at an invisible spot on the ground. She felt so cold, even the sweater wasn't of any help any more. "Lucifer?" she called him, her voice so low that he barely heard her. But he did. His head shot up and he looked at her considerately. Chloe heard his low reply, letting her know that he was listening, and she glanced up at him, her eyes searching for his dark brown irises as she asked, "Could you please hug me?"

In an instant, Lucifer was at her side, locking his arms around her and hugging her gently but firmly close to his heart. Chloe let out a relieved sigh and moved her hands upwards on his chest. She let go of her cuffs, her small fingers emerged from out of their hideout, and clasped onto the fabric of his shirt. Her head moved into the crook of his neck and she took a deep breath, smelling the scent of simply him that soothed her within a moment. "Tighter," she mumbled against his chest and relished the warm feeling that spread out inside of her when Lucifer willingly did what he was told.

He rested his cheek against her head, briefly brushing with his lips against her hair, and his thumbs stroke over her back and arm; up and down, up and down. He breathed a sigh he didn't know he'd been holding as he felt her relaxing into him, and, once again, he tightened the grip around her.

The tears started to stream over Chloe's face, disappearing into the fabric of his shirt, and slowly but steadily drenched it completely. The emotions she'd been trying to stifle down, to bury deep inside of her, built themselves up like a water fountain, crawling higher and higher, and when they reached her head, she started to sob again. She couldn't hold it back any longer. Her cries loudened, and soon she wept bitterly. Her fingers dug deeper into the fabric, frantically holding tight, while the mixture of hurt, desperation, and pure anxiety left her body.

"Shush," Lucifer whispered softly, trying to spend her all the comfort he could give. Automatically his hands started to rub the areas they'd been covered. He shifted his arms. One was still wrapped around her shoulders, holding her closely pressed against himself. With the other one, he caressed her back, covering as much of her body as possible to give her that sense of caring he'd always felt when she wrapped her arms around him.

Chloe's cries died down and she took several intensive breaths, feeling the releasing effect inside of her right away. New emotions of safety and comfort nestled within her. They gave her the much-needed strength to continue speaking out loud what was on her mind. "I'm so sorry, I've put you in danger," she confessed meekly.

' _What?_ ', Lucifer thought and stared down at her, flabbergasted. "You didn't put me in danger," he objected with a determined voice. He was puzzled how she could think such nonsense.

She tilted her head backwards, gazing at him. "They drugged you, Lucifer. And they shouldn't have been able to do that. Maybe they put something in your drink, but truth is, I didn't have your back. I let you get harmed."

He shook his head, contradicting these absurd ideas her head had spun to the fullest. "I haven't been drugged. I assure you, Chloe. Drugs don't work on me like they do on you humans; just like alcohol. And I didn't drink anything that night, either. I gave you my glass, remember?"

"Lucifer, you broke down in front of me!" she countered, and fresh tears flooded her eyes as the memory rushed back into her mind, reminding her of how helpless and desperate she had felt that night. How nothing but sheer panic had taken over in her at that moment.

"Yes," he whispered, a startled expression on his face as it dawned on him. "But I'm fine now, I promise," he reassured her, flashing her a smile that gave a big contrast to the lost look in his eyes.

Chloe snuggled further into him. She was determined that it was her fault. She had put his life in danger. And if it wasn't through some sort of drug they'd given him, it was definitely her decision afterwards not to call an ambulance, or their colleagues at least; not to instantly get him out of there, but rather wait and observe him instead.

Lucifer moved his hands to her face, clasping both her cheeks and lifted her head to have a proper look at her. The exhaustion was written all over it; as if she'd been awake for a week. "Did you sleep last night?" he asked with concern. He felt her body slightly shaking as if his words had reminded her muscles that they had no more strength. He quickly moved his arms back around her, holding tight.

Slowly, she shook her head. "I couldn't," she answered, and after a moment she added, "I didn't know what had happened to you. I thought about calling an ambulance so many times, but each time I put the phone back." She moved her gaze to the wet spot on his shirt, too ashamed of herself when she admitted, "I endangered your life because I didn't want to risk the job. And I feel so horrible about that." She took in a deep breath. Her limbs got weaker as her strength ran low, and it was only thanks to his arms that she was still in an upright position. With a voice that was barely above a whisper, she remarked, "I've watched your pulse and breathing the whole night; to interfere in case it stopped. You didn't seem hurt, just in a deep sleep, and I told myself that this was just like the night before. I hoped it was."

She'd even took off his waistcoat and opened his shirt to better observe his breathing since it was so low that she couldn't see anything through the fabric. One of her hands had held his wrist the whole time, frequently checking his pulse, and from time to time she'd laid her ear onto his chest to listen to his heartbeat, to reconfirm that it was steady and strong. He'd really seemed just sleeping. But it was so deep, she couldn't get him awake, couldn't get even the slightest stir out of him, not even when she'd called him loudly or rubbed her knuckles firmly over his chest.

Only this morning he'd finally shown some signs of recovery. He'd turned his head to the side, shifted himself in his position, and even mumbled something so quietly she couldn't understand; but that had assured her enough that he would be fine, and she relaxed and decided to get out of the room. She sighed again, relieved that those words were finally out of her system, but also worried that he'd interpret her confession as betrayal. She didn't know what she would do if he were angry with her, or wouldn't trust her anymore.

Lucifer smiled at her, feeling some form of warmth spreading out inside of him. Her body got heavier in his arms and so he quickly grabbed her legs and lifted her up, bridal style. "You need some sleep," he informed her briefly and walked out of the kitchen.

Chloe looked at him, surprised. "You're not angry at me?" She unwittingly moved her arm around his neck, holding tight. Her other hand clasped his shirt firmer.

"For what?" he asked, puzzled. "That you kept watching over me the whole night?"

"No! For risking your life," she countered insistently.

Lucifer shook his head, looking ahead as he replied, "Chloe, believe me, you didn't risk my life. I'm the devil, an angelic being. Calling an ambulance for me would have done nothing else than putting our job to an end. And we've put so much into that case now, quite literally. I'd only be angry if you had broken off the operation." He halted in the middle of the stairs, looking at her with warm eyes. "You did nothing wrong, Chloe. I assure you that."

When the words sunk in, she feebly smiled at him. Overwhelmed by the exhaustion, her eyes fluttered shut for a moment. When she opened them again, she was in the bedroom, and Lucifer was about to tuck her in the blanket. "I can't sleep now," she stated, a little startled at the sudden change of surroundings.

"You need to rest, Chloe," he told her calmly and lightly rubbed her shoulder.

He sat down beside her, and Chloe felt his body through the blanket, the warmth that radiated from him, luring her into sleep. "I can't sleep," she started but he shushed her.

"You can, and you will. I'll stay at your-" The rest of his sentence was rudely interrupted when the doorbell rang. Lucifer had instinctively turned his sight to the bedroom door, and glanced briefly back to Chloe again as he mentioned, "Be right back." He stood up and left the room.

Lucifer rushed to the front door, hastily opening it to see who dared to disturb their intimate moment.

"Mr Moran," the security guard addressed him before Lucifer could say anything. "You look... fine," he noted, visibly surprised.

"Should I not?" Lucifer questioned and stared at him warily.

"Well, after last night, I'd expected something different, to be honest." Seeing his baffled look, the security guard went on, "I promised your wife that I'll check on the both of you after my morning tour. Hasn't she told you?"

"No. We couldn't get to that part, yet," Lucifer answered, eyeing him sceptically. This guard didn't make much sense to him.

Noticing Lucifer's cautious look, he took a deep breath and explained, "Well, last night, I came across you two during my security check. You were lying on the shortcut in the woods, almost by the street. And your wife was screaming your name in panic. I checked your vitals. They were fine. You were just out cold. But since your wife rambled something about drugs, I wanted to call an ambulance. She insisted that I don't. And so I helped to get you in my car. I drove you two to your house and then got you in the bed. And with 'got' I actually mean I struggled. Sir, you might not look that way, but it felt as if you weighed 300 pounds."

Lucifer's eyebrows popped up at that information. He quickly looked down at himself, remembering that his chest had been exposed. "What did you do after you put me on the bed?" he asked him and eyed him suspiciously.

"I left," the security guard stated matter-of-factly, before he elucidated in more detail, "Well, I talked to your wife for some minutes, calming her down, telling her that I will stop by your house again today, and if anything happens to you in the meantime, I made her promise to call an ambulance and then call me as well, and then I left."

"Oh," Lucifer answered, pleasantly surprised. "I guess I owe you my thanks, then."

"That's my job," he simply replied, shrugging his shoulders. He took another breath and added, "Sir, I know I'm just security. And you weren't the first passed-out resident I stumbled upon. Believe me, I've seen worse. I also know that this is actually none of my business, but your wife truly loves you. I've never seen a woman so panicked in my life before. And that she didn't want me to call an ambulance, only confirmed my presumption that this is a habit. And if you love your wife just as much, I'm sure you do, then please stop taking whatever it is you take. You terrified her. And maybe someday it's not just you passing out, but dying from it. I'm sure you don't want to put that burden on her, right?"

Lucifer was taken aback and didn't really know what to answer to that. Not about the drug part, of course. He knew he hadn't taken any, and therefore barely listened to what the guard had uttered. But it was the fact that someone who'd seen Chloe only twice and only for a short time, thought that she loved him. He smiled at the thought. Realising that the guard was staring at him expectantly, he quickly replied, "Well, thanks for the advice. I'm going back to my wife now if you don't mind."

"Do that, I need to get back to my job anyway. Have a nice afternoon," the man replied and started to leave.

"Thanks. You too," Lucifer politely called after him and closed the door. He turned around and quickly made his way back to the bedroom.

Stepping inside with as little noise as possible, Lucifer saw that she was sleeping. He had told her he'd be back, but he also didn't want to wake her up by going further into the room or sit down on the bed. Therefore, he decided to leave again. He turned around and was almost back at the door when he heard the bed sheets rustling behind him. "Lucifer?" her weary voice sounded and he quickly turned around, walking to her. He bent over her so she could see him, assuring her, "I'm here, don't worry. Go back to sleep."

"No! I don't want to sleep," Chloe objected more steadily and pushed herself up on the pillow.

"You're completely exhausted. Your body needs rest," Lucifer countered and grabbed her by her hips, gently pulling her back down with ease and wrapping the blanket tighter around her.

Chloe faintly shook her head, grabbing his hands and trying to shove them off of her. "You don't understand. I don't want to _sleep,_ " she repeated, emphasising the word that currently caused her trouble.

Lucifer gazed at her, and suddenly remembered his own feelings after he'd woken up from the nightmare; how scared he was of the dream coming back. She must have dreamt badly as well, he silently concluded and smiled warmly at her. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," he assured her and grasped under her back and knees, shifting her to the middle of the bed.

"I don't-," she started, but cut herself off right away. Those were exactly the words Lucifer had used after his nightmare. And considering that he had said the words to her she'd used on him, she figured she already knew what he was about to reply. The corners of her lips curled upwards and she felt a chuckle rolling up her throat but dying down again before she could let it out, due to the lack of energy. Exhausted, she watched him get out of his jacket, putting it on the end of the bed before he crawled under the blanket as well and made himself comfortable on the pillow. "And now?" she asked, curious.

He looked at her, slightly shrugging his shoulders. The novel lying on her bedside table caught his eye and he suggested, "I could read something to you." He saw her staring at him, one eyebrow raised in puzzlement, and retorted with a hinge of annoyance, "Yes, my dear, I can read."

"I know that!" Chloe appeased him. "I just didn't figure you to be a comforter."

Lucifer stared at her intently, not knowing if he should laugh out loud or reproach her. "I am neither a tool someone can put in a little screaming human's mouth, nor something you can wrap around yourself," he countered sardonically, but trailed off and averted his gaze, the wheels in his head turning wildly. "Now that I think about it, if you see those words I've just spoken in a broader sense, they are actually true," he noticed quietly and shook his head in shudder when certain pictures popped up in his mind. He felt Chloe's hand moving over his belly and quickly got back into the here and now.

Chloe snuggled into his chest and wrapped her arm completely around him, holding tight. "I'd love to hear you reading something to me," she stated softly and nestled her head down on the spot right above his heart, listening to its steady beats.

He smiled at her, pulled the blanket up and tucked the both of them in more firmly. Then, he grabbed the book from the table, opening it at the bookmark. His free hand found its way onto her back, and he rubbed across it from time to time, while he read aloud. It hadn't even taken him two pages before he heard her even breaths. He smiled at her and put the book aside. His free hand clasped around hers, and he held it tight, watching her sleep.

/-/

Chloe stirred when she woke out of her dreams. She moved her head, snuggling her face further into the cosy underlay, not yet ready to open her eyes. She stretched her fingers. Those on her left hand grabbed a cold bedsheet, while those on her right were instantly encompassed by a large, warm hand, getting directly reminded of what exactly her underlay was, or rather who. She tilted her head, resting her chin on his chest, and looked up.

"Slept well?" Lucifer asked, a cheeky grin on his face.

Without a word, she turned her head again, laid it back on his shirt, and, feeling the soft fabric, she nodded her answer. Another moment passed until she finally overcame her reluctance to remove herself from his snug body. She pushed herself up from him and rolled onto her back. Her head turned to him again, and she asked drowsily, "How long have I slept?"

"Three hours, more or less," he answered nonchalantly, and stood up from the bed, stretching his stiff limbs, before he sat back down, facing her.

Pushing herself up into a sitting position, Chloe leant her back against the wall. "I dreamt about the night," she commented a little puzzled, mentally ordering the pictures she could still recall while she ran her fingers through her hair, combing it to one side in the movement. Her eyes fixed at the grey bed sheet between them, she missed the worried frown on her partner's face when she recalled aloud, "I remember now, when I looked at the ceiling, there was a red flashing light, like that of a camera, right above me." It took a moment before the words had sunken in and suddenly her head shot upwards. "They recorded us!" she concluded, appalled, her wide open eyes staring directly into his dark brown ones now.

Lucifer was baffled, but he couldn't really concentrate on this information, as his mind was currently occupied with the concern for her. He thought she would cry, and mentally prepared himself with some soothing words and supportive gestures, when she suddenly sprang up from the bed, releasing a tirade. "These fucking bastards made a video of us!" she yelled so loud that he cringed visibly. Hell's thunder was a light breeze compared to her rants.

"Wasn't it already enough to humiliate us up there? Did they really need to film us as well? They're probably sitting in their chairs right now and re-watch our show, these fucking perverts!" Chloe harangued loudly in anger, pacing up and down the little space between the bed and the door.

"Chloe?" Lucifer piped up, his voice unusually intimidated by the roaring words coming out of this otherwise calm and composed woman.

"What?" she hollered, her eyes glaring so fiercely, that for a moment, Lucifer thought he'd seen fire flashing up. Spotting his terrified features, quickly brought Chloe back to her senses, and she straightened herself, putting on a relaxed look, and rephrased in a suddenly calm voice, "Sorry, you were saying?"

His mouth stood open like that of a fish gasping for air. He wasn't quite sure how to react to her, but considering the circumstances, he found that staying quiet was the best option he had right now. So, he closed his lips, swallowed, and replied with a light shake of his head, "Nothing."

As the first wave of anger subsided, Chloe felt her cheeks heating up and she sat back down on the bed, clutching her hands over her face. "This is so embarrassing! They've not only seen us up there, they can also stare at us from above, at me being exposed, with you between my legs. They could make copies of it, upload it onto any sick site on the internet," she spun further. Then, she trailed off, shaking her head. Hot tears fell down into her palms and she snivelled audibly. "I don't want to see anyone of them ever again."

"Alright," Lucifer replied, determined. Enough was enough. He would not watch her breaking down a second time. "Let's go, then. I'll get you out of here," he told her and stood up, with one large step already at the door to his dressing room, to get his suits.

"No!" Chloe countered, elongating the word while she wiped the tears off of her face. She looked at him, intent on staying. "We can't leave now. We have a job to do."

Lucifer stared at her as if she had two heads. "I'm not staying here watching you perish by the effects this case causes. The job is not important. You are! You said it yourself, you need to get out, so I'll get you out," he argued heatedly and stepped back to her. He would carry her out of this place if he had to.

"But,-" Chloe started objecting, but couldn't find a suitable argument to go on. At least her protest made him halt in front of her to attentively listen to her, while her mind worked on some. She sighed and recalled the words she'd spoken. "But," she started again, and suddenly the wheels in her head turned into the right direction, providing her with new conclusions. "They've _recorded_ us," she repeated in a sudden, elated tone.

"See, your mind has already taken a knock. You've mentioned that before," Lucifer retorted and grasped around her.

Chloe pushed his hands off of her and shoved him onto the bed in the movement. She grumbled darkly, narrowing her eyes, and silently dared him to make a second move. Getting herself back under control, she countered, "That's not what I meant." She swung her leg onto the bed, turning herself and facing him properly, as she explained calmly, "They had a camera up there. That means we're not the only ones they'd been filming. Understood?" She observed him, waiting for his nod before she went on, "Maybe they'd recorded the victims as well. And have stored the videos somewhere. Maybe, even the murder of them was recorded, or the videos contain clues about who the murderer might be," she listed, her voice turning into enthusiasm at the end, but then it died down and she shrugged her shoulders. She looked back at him in a baffled way and admitted quietly, "I don't know, anything." She sighed, and after a moment she added, "We need to get those videos." When the realisation of that little sentence hit her, she huffed and covered her face with her hands again. "Damn! We need to get back to that house."

"I remember you said that we'll never set another foot in that house again," Lucifer interjected dryly, shifting in his seat, to have a more comfortable sitting position.

"I know!" she replied with frustration and let her head fall backwards onto the pillow. "Just the sheer thought of seeing these people again makes me want to throw up."

"But not into the bed, please," Lucifer commented, hoping to cheer her up with that, but only earned an angry glare from her instead. He sighed deeply. He didn't like it at all to see her so distressed. He really would have preferred to get the detective out of here, but also knew her stubbornness wouldn't allow him to take the lead. Suddenly, he remembered the words he'd told her while carrying her upwards to the bed. And concluded, that he'd been right; of course! They indeed had already put too much into this case to simply stop it here. Still, he needed to get her to release at least some of the stress. Already knowing that she would never agree to proper sex and that she wasn't really the party girl, either, he decided to simply leave her the choice. "Well, but before that, you need a break," he stated and instantly got her attention.

"Huh?" She raised her head a little, staring at him, puzzled.

"Come on!" he continued in a cheerful voice. "You'll get up, shower, get dressed, and then you take my car and drive to some mall or something like that. Go shopping, get some fresh air. Do whatever you would do to get a clear head," he suggested and flashed her an affirming smile.

"I'm not leaving you alone with these maniacs!" she objected quickly and determined, even if the thought of getting out was really tempting.

"You're not leaving me alone," he assured her, shrugging it off. "You'll come back. And in the meantime, I'll stay here. Don't worry, I'll be fine," he added with a grin.

Chloe thought about it: He did have a point in there. And it would really be refreshing. But still, she couldn't leave him alone here. That wasn't right... She moved her head from side to side, matching the thoughts in her head that argued for and against it. Eventually, her mind settled on the fact that she would indeed be a better cop with a clear head. There was just one thing... "There is just a twist," she tossed in and got back up, resting her back against the wall again, as she continued, "Your car is still at McClain's house."

"I'll get it while you get dressed," he replied, dismissing her demur, and hopped off the bed, making clear that the discussion was over by leaving the room.

Lucifer walked down the stairs and opened the door, stepping outside. His eyes did a double take as he spotted his car standing in the driveway. Both his eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline in puzzlement, and he slowly walked towards it. There was a note, sticking under the wiper. He took it, opened it, and read: ' _Took the liberty to deliver your car. It was a pleasure meeting you. See you tonight. McClain.'_

He chuckled in disbelieve, lightly shaking his head from side to side, before he put the note into his trouser pocket. He was about to go back inside when he turned his head back to his car, eyeing it warily. ' _Better safe than sorry,_ ' he thought, not trusting anything or anyone anymore, and lowered himself to look under the car. Maybe they had planted a bomb. Finding none, he went around his vehicle, checking the tires, exhaust pipe and the motor. Although he was far away from being a car expert, he wanted to at least make sure that it looked fine. After all, Chloe would be driving it. Having still found nothing unusual, he grabbed their jackets which were lying on the backrest together with Chloe's shoes beside them and was about to head back to their house, when familiar sounding steps approached him.

He sighed and put on a confident smile as Chloe was at his side. He turned towards her, and, without a word, retrieved the note and gave it to her.

Chloe read what was written on the little sheet of paper. She chuckled sardonically, crumpled it up, and let it fall to the ground, kicking it away with her foot. The anger inside of her rose again. She folded her arms, her hands clenched into fists, but when she felt his arm moving around her and his hand caressing her fingers, she relaxed a bit and took it into one of hers. "They are most probably watching us," she mentioned under her breath.

Lucifer pulled her into him, kissing her head. "I don't care," he told her in a low voice. "You'll take that ride now. I'll try to find out a little more through our sweet neighbours."

Chloe stared at him, perplexed and instantly worried. She turned around, her hands grabbing the button border of his shirt as she implored him with a concerned stare, "No solo runs, Lucifer. I mean it."

"Don't worry," he appeased her, again pulling her into him so that their hips met. He bent down, kissing her head once more and resting his mouth above her ear. "I'll just have a nice little chat with them."

She shook her head. No, she wouldn't let him take any risks. Not when she wasn't around. Not when she couldn't interfere and get him out. "I mean it, Lucifer." She saw him staring down at her, his eyes revealing an equal determination, and she pursed her lips, giving in, but not without a warning, "If I come back and you're dead, I swear, I'll go down to hell, drag you back up, and kick your ass back to hell myself."

Lucifer chuckled gleefully at her words. His lips turned into a cheeky grin, matching his bright eyes. "Is that a promise?" The glare she shot him only added up to the delighted feeling inside of him, and he lowered his hand, grabbing her butt cheek as his lips crashed down on hers, kissing her firmly. He let the clothes in his hand drop back onto the car seat and his second arm went around her, holding her close when he broke the kiss again. He rested his forehead against hers, ordering softly, "You'll drive out of this freak town, get a clear head. I'll wait for you. And when you come back, we'll stir up this little weird bunch. Alright?"

Chloe nodded against his forehead, concurring him with a whispered "alright". She leant up to him, pecking his lips again, before she turned around, getting into the car.

Lucifer retrieved the stuff from the car again and stepped back. "Drive safely," he called after her, watching her disappear, and went back inside the house.

Chloe was almost at the corner to the exit street, when suddenly Patricia popped up in front of her. She hit the breaks to not run her over. "What the hell!" she shouted at the woman, startled and angry about such reckless behaviour.

"Hello," Patricia greeted her in a jovial mood as if nothing had happened at all. "Good to see you. You said you wanted to chat with me, yesterday. How about now? I'm free." She stared at her expectantly, and lightly leant against the convertible's body.

"Well, I'm not!" Chloe countered snappishly. Seeing that the other woman was totally blocking her way, she told her in a calmer tone, "I'll come by your house later."

Patricia smiled cheekily at her, completely unperturbed by her mood. "Where are you driving? Maybe I can join you," she stated, ignoring Chloe's words.

Chloe looked at her warily. Her behaviour was really suspicious. And moreover, it stirred up an instant want for her gun. The gun that was currently hidden below her bedside table. Swallowing down her feelings, she put on a professional, friendly smile and denied politely, "No thanks. I prefer being alone. And, well, it's actually none of your business, but I'm running some errands."

"Oh, you don't need to leave our little paradise for that," Patricia exclaimed quickly, dismissing it with a wave of her hand. "Mason and Gilbert have an online grocery delivery service. I can help you set up an account, and then all you need to do is click on the stuff you like to buy, and within the next hour someone will bring it to you."

"Denise already told me about that," she retorted. This woman was really wearing her patience thin. "And, no thanks. I like to do that myself!" As her neighbour still hadn't stepped away from the vehicle, she stated with more insistence, "Could you now please step off my car!"

"You sure you don't want me to join you? I know some of the workers at the big mall, I could get you some pretty discounts," she suggested, making one last try.

This almost let Chloe burst with anger. Why was this woman so adamant that Chloe wouldn't leave Riveroak alone? "No, thank you!" she countered insistently, the forced smile on her face threatened to turn into a growl, when suddenly a voice interfered in their conversation, making both women instantly turn towards the person.

"Is there a problem, ma'am?" the security guard addressed Chloe.

"No, we're just having a little chat," Patricia answered him quickly. She fiddled with her fingers, revealing that the man's sudden appearance made her uncomfortable.

"Yes!" Chloe countered, ignoring her neighbour's appalled stare at her, and fixed her sight at the guard. "I want to leave, but she doesn't want to step off my car," she explained to him, her voice harsher than she'd preferred. After all, he was the one who'd helped her last night. She could trust him, right?

"She just wants to go shopping," Patricia explained as if Chloe's leaving would have needed that. "But she's new around here. I don't want her to get lost or something like that," Patricia told him, her nervousness clearly sounding through her voice.

With slow but determined steps, the security guard walked towards Patricia, making her step aback and, thereby, bringing her away from the car she was blocking. "Mrs Moran is an adult, and as far as I can judge, quite capable of taking care of herself," he countered calmly, but his composure seemed all the more threatening. "Now please step further away from the street."

Patricia took another step back, first looking at the guard, but then her eyes turned towards Chloe. She smiled at her weakly, but Chloe clearly saw the fear in the woman's eyes.

"I'd suggest you go back to your house, Mrs Clarkson. Everything is alright," he told her, staring her down.

Patricia nodded at him nervously. "Alright," she whispered and turned her attention back to Chloe. "See you later, then," she stated and flashed her another smile before she turned around and quickly left.

Chloe looked after her neighbour, the smile she'd sent her was fake as hell, too lousy to hide her real emotion – anxiety. And again, Chloe's suspicion grew. Her attention was abruptly turned back to the guard when he wished her a nice ride before he turned around and walked back to his little guard house. "Thank you," she called after him sincerely. The security guard turned his head back to her, gave her an acknowledging nod, and continued walking.

She sighed but quickly shook off the thoughts that wanted to instantly analyse the situation. First of all, she needed to get out of here. Starting the engine again, she hit the accelerator and drove off. The talk hadn't left her mind when she made her way through the streets, and neither had the confusing reaction of Patricia towards the guard. The road was packed with the afternoon traffic and Chloe feared that she would crash into someone if she couldn't get her mind back to the road again. A sign of a shopping mall appeared on the side and she decided to better get off the streets; she was too distracted. She pulled into the driveway, drove onto the big parking area, chose a space at the far back, and killed the engine again.

Chloe filled her lungs to their full capacity with air, before she clutched her hands onto her face, rubbing it as she let her head fall back against the headrest. Why didn't Patricia want her to leave Riveroak? If the security guard hadn't come to her aid, she'd still be there on the street, discussing with that woman, or having to call an ambulance because she'd most probably hit her in the face. She chuckled quietly, slightly shaking her head, and removed the hands, blinking several times until her eyes got used to the sun again. Recalling the situation, it still was weird that Patricia seemed to be afraid around the security, though. But on the other hand, if she had to guard a bunch of crazy, perverted people, she probably wouldn't try to be friends with them, either.

Taking another deep breath, she pulled out her mobile, texting Lucifer: ' _I'm at the grocery. Do you need anything?_ " She put the phone on the passenger seat and rested her head back against the headrest, relishing the sun a little more. After not even a minute, she heard her phone vibrating. She grabbed it.

 _'Just you. Safe and sound, back in my arms ;)'_

Chloe chuckled at his text, especially at the emoji. Trixie should never have shown him how to use them, she thought and texted back: _'is arrangeable :P'_

' _Head over to Sam now. Maybe I can get something out of her._ '

The message came shortly after, and Chloe frowned at it with worry. ' _Take care! ! !_ ' she texted him and held the phone in her hand, staring at the screen. The reply didn't take long to show up.

 _'Always! Don't want you to kick me back to hell ;) :*'_

Chloe stared at the little star behind the colon. She was confused and at first wanted to play it down as a possible mistake he'd made while writing it. She looked at the virtual keyboard and frowned again, albeit for a completely different reason this time. A sad face wouldn't have made much sense after a winky face. Was he...? Could it be possible...? Did he really send her a kiss?

She chuckled quietly. This man truly surprised her, even more, the deeper they went into this case. He was excellent at playing his role. And if she didn't know it any better, she really would assume that they were a married couple and that they were... in love. She chuckled some more to herself before she shook her head, getting rid of those thoughts. They were partners! Nothing more, nothing less. Partners who trusted each other with their lives. That was more she got out of any relationship she'd had in her whole life; even with Dan. And this was more important, more precious than anything else in this world.

Putting the phone into her jacket pocket, Chloe was about to exit the car, when suddenly the moment between McClain and Denise came back into her mind, and how defensive he'd reacted as she'd asked him if he had any children. This almost screamed ' _important_ ' in her head and she concluded, she needed to investigate further on that part. Maybe they were related? She sat back in her seat and retrieved her phone again, dialling a number. It rang a couple of times until finally, someone picked up.

"Anderson? Hey, it's me, Chloe... Yeah, we're fine, don't worry, the cover is still up," she assured him, listening to his voice some more before she answered to a question he was asking, "Yes, namely, I need to know if Curtis McClain, married to a woman named Dolores McClain, and Denise Foster, are of any kind related to each other. In particular, is she his daughter?" she listened further to his voice, nodding her head from time to time, and then ended, "Yeah, thanks, in an hour is fine... bye." She hung up, put the phone back and got out of the car, heading for the mall.

/-/

Lucifer rolled his shoulders to relax the muscles, his eyes fixed on the dark mahogany brown door. Taking a deep breath, he plastered a wide smile onto his face and rung the bell.

It didn't take long and the door was being opened by Sam. She instantly started to beam as she got sight of him. "Oh, hello," she singsonged, flashing him a smile, and opened the door wider in an inviting gesture.

"Hello," Lucifer greeted back, overly friendly. "I'm sorry to bother you-"

"You never bother!" Stanley suddenly appeared, quickly cutting him off, and stepped further in the door.

Lucifer tilted his head. He felt a strange feeling of nervousness making its way up his spine, and he widened his smile to a smug grin, to hide the untimely emotion behind. "I was wondering if you have some turkey," he asked, adding all the important details in a pleasant voice, "I'm feeling quite a bit hungry and wanted to make a sandwich. Unfortunately, we don't have any at home, and my wife is still shopping."

Sam grabbed his arm and literally pulled him inside. "Come on in," she purred into his ear and dragged him along. "I'm sure we have something to still your hunger with."

Stanley leered after his wife and their current favourite guest. With a wide, cheeky grin he turned back to the door, closing it shut.

/-/

"I'm home," Chloe called loudly as she stepped into the entrance, pulling the keys out of the lock and closing the door. She made her way to the kitchen counter and put the big paper bag onto it. Then, she stretched her neck, attentively listening for any noises, but there were none. Frowning lightly, she stepped back to the entrance, loudly calling again, "Lucifer?"

Again, nothing. And this time, the concern in her took over. She walked through the rooms, starting with the study, and then made her way up to the first floor. Going right through the bedroom, she stepped into his dressing room, calling his name once more. "Lucifer?" She didn't wait for a reply, but walked right up to the bathroom door, pushing down the handle. The door didn't move. "Lucifer?" she called again, this time more adamantly. She knocked against the wood, asking further, "Are you in there?" Hearing nothing, she leant her ear against the door. The sound of running water being turned off resonated through, and she relaxed slightly. She was about to knock a second time when the door was suddenly being opened and Lucifer stepped in sight, dripping wet, his hand clasping a towel he had hastily wrapped around his lower parts, holding fast.

"Do you need anything, darling?" he asked in a cheerful voice, his everything-is-fine smile stretching his lips to both sides. He continued tucking in his towel while he stared at her expectantly, awaiting a reply.

For a moment, Chloe was puzzled, and she frowned in worry. That wasn't Lucifer-her-caring-husband, this was Lucifer-the-cocky-player in front of her. "Are you alright?" she wondered and for a split second, she saw a twist in his eyes, as if his guard was tumbling. But then his mask was instantly mastered back onto his face.

"I'm perfect, darling," he purred and flashed her another cheeky smile.

The frown on her face deepened. Something must have happened! But having him in this state right now wouldn't let her get any information out of him. She nodded lightly as if she wanted to assure herself rather than acknowledge him. With a soft voice, she let him know, "I'm downstairs, then."

Lucifer continued smiling at her and tilted his head a little. "Of course. I'll meet you there," he stated, and without waiting for a response, closed the door and locked it again. His smile instantly dropped, making room for the hate-filled glare to settle back on his features, while he stepped to the basin and observed his reflection through the now shattered mirror. His eyes flashed up their fiery red as he rested his hands on both sides, and he growled darkly at the monster that stared back at him.

He wanted to throw something at it again, wanted to smash his hand into the mirror once more, destroy the reflection, but he couldn't. Not with the detective downstairs now, not when Chloe could hear the sounds and get worried. So, he took a deep breath instead, closing his eyes and breathing out the anger. He repeated the procedure until he felt composed enough. He opened his eyes again, seeing their dark brown colour looking at him, and he averted his gaze. His glance went briefly to the shower cubicle. The need inside of him to get back under the water crawled up again. But Chloe had already seen him in his towel; she would get suspicious if he'd take another shower. Furthermore, he assumed that the taint he felt on himself wouldn't get washed away, no matter how long he stood underneath. He took another breath and decided to turn to the cupboard and grab the blow dryer instead, fixing his hair. Finally ready, he stepped into the dressing room, grabbing the first suit on the line, not minding the type as long as it was clean, and put it on. Then he left the room and made his way down to the kitchen.

Chloe stood in front of the open fridge, packing several things out of the bag into it. She stopped when she heard him enter, and turned towards him, a warm smile on her face. "You won't believe what Anderson told me on the phone half an hour ago," she started and glanced at him, briefly but all the more attentively. He still looked like something was troubling him, something that must be so huge that he felt the need to hide it behind his smug grin, but by now she could see beyond that mask. His eyes betrayed him.

"Do tell," he replied in a friendly manner and stretched his grin into a cheerful smile. He looked at her but averted his gaze again as soon as their eyes met, flashing her another smile to let it look like he had everything under control.

"Yesterday, at the party, I observed this weird moment between Denise Foster and McClain. And I asked Anderson if he could find any relation between those two. I suspected she was his daughter," she added and looked up to Lucifer. He seemed absent, not really listening to what she said, but when she stopped, his head suddenly shot into her direction, and he prompted her, "Yes, yes, go on." She swallowed down her suspicion about him and turned her current attention back to what Anderson had found out. "Well, there is no connection between them, but before Dolores and McClain had married, Dolores gave birth to a baby girl, with the name Jasmine Baker; that was Dolores's maiden name. Apparently, Jasmine still had lived in their household and Anderson could find a birth certificate of her, stating that the registered father was McClain himself." She halted again, observing him, waiting if he might ask how Anderson got the birth certificate so quickly, but nothing came. He still looked into space, only from time to time turning his attention back to her. And when he did, he flashed her a smile that made him seem to be there with her, without him actually being so. "Anyhow, Jasmine Baker later married a man named Arthur Campbell." She wanted to go on, but suddenly his head wheeled around, and she had his full attention.

"That's the second victims' name," Lucifer exclaimed, surprised and interested.

"Yes!" Chloe nodded, smiling relieved at his reaction. "They were the ones who got killed a year ago."

"Does this mean, McClain killed his own daughter?" he asked.

Chloe shook her head in disbelief and folded her arms. "I don't know. I mean, yes, he seems very likely to be the killer, the others are practically under his spell. But during this moment he was so gentle with Denise, and when I asked him if he had any children, he seemed genuinely upset."

"Maybe an accident, then? Sex went wrong?" he suggested and shrugged his shoulders.

Chloe copied his gesture. "Or maybe murder in affect? I mean, didn't Patricia say herself that he could get really grumpy if he didn't get what he wanted? Maybe his daughter acted out and he wasn't pleased with it."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes at that thought, instantly being reminded to his own father's betrayal. "Seems like humans really do step into my dad's footsteps, then."

She nodded to his comment without really registering what he'd said as her mind was fully occupied. ' _But still, this didn't explain the other four murders in an equal manner_ ,' she spun her thought further, that then took the connection to: ' _A possible sacrifice, maybe?_ ' Shaking her head off of that thought, she leant against the kitchen counter, looking up and observing him carefully. A moment of silence passed between them before she plucked up her courage to talk about the other topic she wanted to ask him about, "Could you find out anything useful from Sam?"

He nodded, putting his hands into his pockets as he explained, "McClain has a little office directly next to the big room we'd been brought into, down in the basement. All the videos are stored there, on a laptop."

"Good," she commented softly, nodding her head once before she looked back at him. "Were you discrete?"

"Very discrete," he answered, but this time his attempted smile directly died down on his face.

The suspicion that something had happened and the worry for him grew bigger. She exhaled, calling him soothingly, "Lucifer?"

The changed tone in her voice let his hair stand on end. He knew she was about to probe him further and his nerves started to get raw. "Yes, Chloe?" he replied testily, clenching his teeth to prevent himself from losing his composure even more.

Chloe took a deep breath. She sensed his beginning annoyance. She would have preferred to leave it for now until he got himself back under control, but she couldn't do that. She needed to know. "Did something happen at Sam's house?"

"I got the information we need to get this case going. What else do you want?" he suddenly snapped at her angrily.

' _Having my partner actually talk to me_ ,' was the first thing that shot into her mind, but she would rather bite off her tongue than voicing that thought. He was already on edge, and making cutting remarks was the last thing that would help him right now. But she also knew that if she couldn't get him to talk now, he would close up on this topic completely. So, she voiced her next thought, "Did you have sex with Sam?" She had tried to sound nonchalant, but when she spoke out loud what was on her mind, it made her voice quaver a little and a lump formed in her throat.

Lucifer glared at her with almost black eyes. The anger about the question, about what she implied with it, and the anger about himself almost overpowered him. "I did what I had to do!" he growled dangerously low, and without another word, he turned around and left the kitchen.

Chloe stared after him, still startled about his sudden behaviour. Only the loud bang that resounded from a door being slammed shut, brought her out of her stiffness. She took several steps forwards but then hesitated to go any further. She struggled with herself about whether to let him alone or confront him more; not quite knowing what the best option for him would be at this time. She didn't want to press him into talking, but she also didn't want to give him the feeling that she wouldn't be there for him when he needed her. And that, he clearly did right now. Deciding that the golden mean would be best, she followed him into the study.

Lucifer sat on the ground, facing the plain grey wall, lost in his own thoughts when he suddenly felt a blanket being put around his shoulders from above. "I'm not cold," he stated slightly miffed, but the feeling was rather because of his own lost temper than the presence of her or the blanket around him. He grabbed it nonetheless and pulled it a bit closer.

Chloe walked around the furniture, sitting down next to him. "It's not to keep you warm, it's for comfort," she explained in a calm, soothing voice, looking at him tenderly.

A low chuckle escaped his throat when he got aware of the situation he found himself in at the moment. He, the epitome of fear and terror, got comforted by someone. He turned his head, facing her briefly before he commented in a hushed, sardonic tone, "Isn't that the greatest irony? The devil is hiding behind a couch." He spat the last words, his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him again, and the anger about himself, about what he did, grew higher.

She breathed a soft "no", lightly shaking her head to underline her opinion. With a voice that was barely above a whisper, she asked, "Do you want to tell me what happened?" She studied his features attentively and saw the conflict in his eyes. "Or do you want me to get Dr Ninja Kitty?" she added and lightly nudged his arm with her shoulder, hoping this would lighten him up a little.

Lucifer let out another chuckle, but this time also the corners of his lips turned upwards. He sighed, and a short moment of silence fell between them before he interrupted it again, "I think you already know what happened," he answered and his eyes searched for something invisible on the ground while he bit back the upcoming feeling of guilt that tasted very much like bile.

Of course, she did. And in honesty to herself, the fact that he did have sex with this woman was something she'd preferred to quickly lock away in the back of her head. But she saw that it affected him. Something that shouldn't be. Lucifer never said ' _No_ ' to this type of intercourse, and she knew how light his mood always was after he got what he wanted. However, the fact that it troubled him that much, stirred something inside of her that was beyond worry or concern for her partner. She needed a moment to muster up all the courage she had, but then she voiced the suspicion that his acting out had raised in her, "Did she force you?"

He didn't know whether to laugh out loud or to be offended. He turned towards her, the disbelief about her ridiculous assumption written all over his face. "Chloe, I'm the devil," he simply stated, hoping that this was answer enough. But no, she still stared at him as if she was truly convinced that somebody could have the power to force him to anything, well besides his father, that is. "No, they did _not_ force me to anything," he elucidated and turned his head back to the wall.

"Oh," Chloe mumbled and swallowed, she didn't expect that little detail. "They as in-" she started but was quickly cut off by him.

"Yes, Stanley was also a part of the game. He was even more eager to have a go on me than his wife, to be more precise. There were moments I couldn't even decipher which hand belonged to whom," he went on but trailed off, sparing her any more details.

"Then why are you angry?" she asked, not understanding.

He huffed, slowly repeating her words, "Why am I angry?" After another moment of silence that was broken by his loud sigh, he began, "You remember this little book up there?" He nodded his head upwards and his eyes briefly turned to the ceiling to make clear what he meant, before he fixed his gaze back on the grey wall and continued, "It's quite insightful of how to behave as a husband and how to treat your wife; of what is important in a marriage, and what not." He let out a low breath. "They even have a whole chapter about pregnancy and children," he mentioned with a hint of disgust in his voice. "But in none of these chapters, nowhere in this book, do they explain how to behave after you cheated on your wife."

That his reply took her by surprise would have been an understatement. She was baffled that he even used the words _cheat_ and _wife_ in one context and visibly had a problem with it. After all, he was Lucifer. She looked at him, attentively observing his features from the side, especially the sadness in his eyes and his lips he'd pursed in anger. "Lucifer, we're not married. We are partners, and this is just a case," she told him calmly, not quite knowing what else she could say to appease him.

"Then tell me, why does it feel like I've betrayed you?" he demanded low-voiced and turned his head to her, directly locking his eyes with hers.

"I don't know," she whispered softly and closed in on him, snuggling her chin into his arm, and her hand wandered up to the one that was lying casually on his knee. When they touched, their fingers turned towards each other and automatically intertwined. "But I know that you're one of, if not the most honest and faithful person I've ever met. Maybe that's why it's troubling you so much."

"Pah!" Lucifer huffed, shaking his head. "Stop saying that," he rebuked her. "You're giving me a bad rep."

He gazed at her shortly, and Chloe saw in his eyes that he didn't mean it at all. He looked rather glad and relieved. As if he'd been waiting for her forgiveness the whole time, and the fact that she didn't hold it against him, had assured him that. She smiled at him warmly, hiding her worry once again. Her Lucifer from a week ago would never have had trouble with such kind of things, like cheating, or guilt, or the need for forgiveness. "Lucifer, you've changed since the beginning of this case," she told him and bit back the tears that wanted to well up in her eyes. "And I'm not quite sure if it's for the better."

Lucifer chuckled again. His gaze fell towards their entwined hands and he ran his thumb shortly over her knuckles. "Life is change!" he countered amused, but the smile on his lips quickly faded. She was right. If he'd met Sam and Stanley at LUX, he would have had his fun with them. He would have had sex with the one while making the other watch, and then would have them both around him, fucking each other senseless until the dawn of the next day. He would have savoured their lechery to the fullest, would have enjoyed their insatiability for his body and sent an arrogant smirk towards his father, about the weak flesh of His favourite kind. But since he was here, since he was so close to Chloe, everything was different. He didn't know why, but he also wasn't really concerned about it. He reached to his eyes with his free hand, rubbing them, before his fingers went further up, running through his hair. "Damn," he sighed. "I could need a drink right now. All these days without cigarettes, booze and carefree sex really start to wear me out."

"Well," Chloe started and lightly squeezed his hand, instantly getting his attention. "I might be able to help you with one of those things," she stated and stood up, pulling at his arm to move him to follow her.

They went back into the kitchen. Chloe headed directly to the paper bag, rummaging inside and pulling out a bottle of a Scottish Single Malt.

His eyes became wide in delight as he spotted the auburn liquid. "You are gold, my dear," he praised her and took the bottle into his hands, admiring the precious liquid.

"I thought you could use a drink from time to time," she commented and smiled at him, relieved that his mood had finally changed, and also a bit proud that she had a hand in it.

He put the bottle on the counter and turned towards her. "I am..." he started but didn't know how to properly voice his feelings to this unexpected gift. He smiled cheekily at her and took a deep breath, before he stated, acting on instinct, "I have to give you a kiss now." Not waiting for her verbal reply he stepped closer and bent down, briefly waiting if she would turn away. When she did nothing but grin at him, he locked his lips onto hers, kissing her tenderly. His hands moved around her back and head and pulled her closer, holding tight while he caressed her lips with his own. Becoming lost in the pleasant feelings this close contact unleashed within him, he grasped around her, picking her up and placing her onto the counter to continue the kiss from a different angle.

The air in her lungs ran low and Chloe's hands moved to his chest, gently pushing against him. His upper body moved backwards, but he bent his head forward, keen on keeping their lips locked. She leant back and when their lips finally parted, she grinned and took a deep breath to fill her lungs. His grip on her tightened and he was about to pull her back into him, as she reminded him, "You said ' _a_ kiss' as in ' _one_ kiss'."

"Yes, and I wasn't finished with _that_ kiss," he complained. Hearing her chuckle, his eyes turned dark again and he suggested cockily, "Well, I could also use my mouth on your other lips to thank you properly."

The smile on her face froze and her cheeks turned into a deep shade of red. "I'm fine, thanks," she replied hastily and pushed herself past him as she hopped off the counter, bringing some much-needed physical space between them.

"Well, then," he brushed it off with a big smug grin, grabbing the bottle and a glass from the counter. "Tell me when you need me," he informed her and made his way over to the piano. "Whatever for!" he added before he was out of earshot, his voice dripping with cockiness.

Chloe narrowed her eyes on him, but the wide grin on her face gave away that she wasn't really mad about his teasing.

/-/

"Are you ready?" Lucifer asked Chloe in a hushed voice when she stepped to his side and tucked her arm into his.

She sighed, but nodded her 'yes'. And how she was ready to enter this hellhole again! This time, she even came prepared: Not only did she wear her necklace with the sender again, she also chose high heels she could actually run in, and the little purse she'd clasped in her left hand carried a small, but all the more sharp dagger. Just in case, she'd told herself when she'd put it inside.

They walked towards the entrance of the hill house. Lucifer wore a black suit with a dark red shirt and fitting pocket square, and Chloe was in a dress of the same red colour that had a long v-neck; its length ended slightly above her knees on the front, while the cut on the back was longer.

Lucifer rang the bell and the door was instantly opened.

"Welcome back, Mr and Mrs Moran," Maylin greeted them friendly. "Please enjoy the party," she added and stepped to the side, opening the door a bit wider and inviting them in.

She still looked shyly to the floor, her cheeks slightly flustered, when Lucifer flashed her one of his bright smiles, but this time her whole posture seemed less submissive, Chloe registered.

"Well, then," Lucifer commented in a friendly manner and was about to step over the door sill as Chloe's reluctance to walk along kept him back. He turned towards her, sending her an assuring smile and hoping her hesitation would quickly go away.

Chloe swallowed and pushed the bad memories to the back of her head. They had a job, a mission to do right now. There was no place for fear. She took a deep breath, mustering up all her courage when suddenly the maid's hushed voice piped up.

"Don't worry, Mrs Moran. The master isn't here tonight," Maylin assured her, carrying a warm smile on her lips.

Chloe stared at her, perplexed that McClain wasn't at his own party; after all, he was the owner of the house. But maybe something came in between? She gave the young woman an acknowledging nod together with an equally warm smile, and let herself get led inside by her partner.

The maid turned her attention back to Lucifer, asking him for his keys once again. This time, he denied with another bright smile, telling her that he wouldn't be drinking tonight. With an understanding nod, the maid turned her attention back to the door, closing it, before she disappeared behind a side door.

Lucifer and Chloe made their way into the big hall and were almost halfway through, when suddenly a very naked resident walked, with a swing in his hips, from one room across the floor into another. Both instantly stopped and looked at each other in bafflement. "Well," Lucifer remarked amused, not hiding the smirk on his lips. Chloe's grip around his arm tightened a little, but she didn't say a word as they continued walking further through the hall.

They passed the entrance to another room, where several couches stood by the walls as well as right in the middle. Sitting or lying on them were more members of Riveroak, some dressed, some in their birth suits, but what they all had in common was that they were either making out or already had sex; and, as it seemed, not necessarily with their spouses, or with just one partner, either.

Lucifer grinned smugly, one eyebrow raised in joyful surprise as he cast a glance into the crowd. He noticed with satisfaction that Chloe's grip around his arm tightened further, and he looked at her, seeing her staring flabbergasted into the room. When she got aware of his attention to her, she quickly narrowed down her eyes. He suppressed a chuckle and continued leading them through the hall. "I'm surprised that you don't seem perturbed by their looks and acts," he commented teasingly, keeping his head straight, a wide smirk stretching his lips.

Chloe swallowed and brought them both to a halt. She stared at him, determined, and countered, "I had oral sex in front of all these people. Seeing them in front of me like this isn't really that high on my weirdness list right now."

He pursed his lips to keep his smirk from stretching even further, not wanting to make her angry at him in any way. Nodding his head, they continued walking to the end and then turned into one of the smaller halls that led to the back of the house and towards the entrance to the basement. Suddenly, a very familiar voice caught their attention. They stopped and looked into the room it was coming from.

"Hello, Lucifer," Sam greeted him loudly, gleefully waving her arm at him while she was bobbing up and down, riding one of her neighbours.

Lucifer flinched slightly, visibly uncomfortable to see that woman again. He took a step closer to Chloe who looked up at him, trying to hide the pleased smile on her lips. "Come on, we have a mission," he mumbled under his breath and quickly dragged her away. At least, this woman seemed to have him finally out of her system, he thought to himself, relieved.

The entrance to the basement was already in sight and they carefully headed towards it, not wanting to draw any attention so shortly before their goal.

Suddenly, McClain appeared from out of a room, dressed only in a bathrobe. He smiled at them cheerfully. "Oh hello, my newest neighbours. I'm glad you decided to join the party. Enjoy yourself!"

Chloe was startled by him. Didn't the maid say he wasn't here? Quickly, she got herself back under control, and questioned sarcastically, "What, you don't drag us into a room and force us to have sex again?"

Lucifer grabbed her hand that had clasped his arm, holding it tight, while he moved his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. He took half a step forward, and with that, brought himself lightly between the man and Chloe.

"Would you like that?" McClain countered with a smile, unperturbed by her aversion towards him.

"No!" Chloe cried appalled, disgusted by his question.

The opposite standing man only kept smiling at her. He started to walk further ahead, his attention still directed at his two guests who followed him. "Then why should I do that?" he asked and stopped in front of another room. "This is a party. Do what you want. Have a drink, watch us having sex, have sex yourselves, and if you don't like an audience, there are plenty of rooms in the house. I'm sure you'll find one unoccupied." With that, he stepped further into another room, then turned around fully to face them again. Chloe and Lucifer had remained in the entrance as he added with a delighted grin, "No one will be forced tonight."

Chloe tilted her head a little, looking past the man. The picture that presented itself in front of her horrified her. There was a woman in the middle, kneeling down and bending forward, her arms tightly bound on her back. She was wearing a collar, with a leash attached that the man who stood behind her had in his hands, keeping it tight, while he penetrated her. Another man stood in front of her, doing the same with her mouth. "I bet she isn't forced either!" she retorted sardonically after she found her voice back.

McClain took a glance behind him to see what she meant, then he turned his attention back to her. "Of course not! She likes it," he mentioned nonchalantly.

She lightly shook her head in disbelief, the cop in her taking over. "I'd like to hear that from herself," she ordered and nodded towards the back of the room, clasping the purse in her hand a little firmer.

McClain rolled his eyes, visibly annoyed by her demand. Still, he turned around and addressed the man to the front, "James, could you shortly let Medina speak?" The man in question looked up, disappointed about the disruption of his pleasure, but he stepped back and pulled his penis from out of her mouth. "Medina, are you enjoying yourself?" McClain asked her, as she was free to talk now.

Medina nodded eagerly, a beam in her eyes and a big smile on her face. "Totally!" she answered, while her body kept bouncing back and forth.

McClain nodded pleased and turned around to Chloe and Lucifer. "Any more questions?" he asked, the smile on his face not ceasing in the slightest.

"So this whole 'forcing us to have sex in front of you' was a one-timer?" Chloe asked further, barely holding the outrage that arose in her at bay.

"Darling," the man started with a honeyed voice. "I doubt that by the loud noises we all heard from you yesterday, that you didn't enjoy yourself." He winked at her, seeing her cheeks flush right away, and continued, "Of course there are times when we have to do something we don't really want to do. It happened to all of us. But it's fine now. We get over it, and you will, too, eventually."

Her eyes narrowed to two small slits. "Really? Like what had happened to your daughter?" She knew it was thin ice she'd just stepped onto, but she couldn't hold back. Not after what he'd just said to her.

McClain's features instantly darkened in anger, and he built himself up in front of them. "Chloe, I think you and Lucifer should go to a different room, now," he warned them with a threatening glare. Without a further word, he grabbed the door and threw it into their faces. Lucifer had to pull Chloe backwards a little, to prevent the wood from hitting her nose.

"Grump!" Lucifer commented the man's mild outburst. He shoved Chloe several steps away from the room, before he lowered himself to her ear, whispering, "What now?"

Chloe looked up at him, still a little puzzled. She hadn't seen just anger in McClain's eyes, she'd also noticed hurt flashing up. That only confirmed her assumption, that he didn't want his daughter's death. And maybe, he wasn't the murderer of her. Turning her attention back to her partner, she pushed her thoughts aside and grinned at him. "Well, we do what he told us to, of course," she answered and her grin widened. "We look for an unoccupied room in here. In the basement."

"Oh, I like your style of thinking," Lucifer praised her, flashing her a wicked smile.

Without being seen by anyone else, they managed to get to the stairway. They walked down, making as little noises as possible, and soon found themselves inside the little hallway with the three doors to each end.

"Sam had said that the office is opposite to the large room," he mentioned quietly and watched Chloe stepping towards the door, pulling down its handle. It was locked.

"Damn it!" Chloe cursed under her breath. Albeit this was something she'd already assumed.

Lucifer stepped beside her, gently pushing her away from the door with the words, "Let me try." Without any problems, he pulled the handle down and opened the door, gesturing her to go first with a wide cheeky grin.

Chloe stared at him, baffled at how fast he managed to get it open. "What the-," she started but quickly cut herself off. "Wait," she stopped him from saying anything, raising her hand to underline it. "I'd rather not know." She walked past him and spotted the large desk at the end of the room with a laptop on top. Quickly she headed towards it and then went around, taking a seat in the big leather chair, while she opened the laptop. She unclipped her purse, got out the little USB stick containing the password cracking software, and plucked it into the computer after it was booted. It didn't take long until she got access, and soon she was searching through the folders, looking for the videos.

Lucifer had closed the door again and remained in the front area, looking around. There were large cupboards made out of thick oak wood standing to both sides, and he looked through them: One was harbouring glasses and bottles of sherry. Another one was packed with old records and an old record player. He turned his attention to the other side, and suddenly found a cupboard that aroused his interest: It was locked. He grinned at the dark wooden furniture and quickly got rid of that little inconvenience. Behind it, he found several arrays filled with mini-discs, all labelled with a date, and above were the big letters ' _MUSIC_ ' engraved into the wood. He frowned lightly. It didn't make sense to store music by date; especially not when the latest disc had the date of yesterday written on it, he thought to himself.

Getting a distinct feeling that this could be important, Lucifer pulled the last disc out of its holder. Then he looked for a disc near the day the detectives had been killed since this was the only day they knew for sure. There were two, one from the exact day and one from the day before. He pulled them out as well. Then he stared at the whole thing, frowning again. ' _If someone opens this cupboard, they would see right away that something was missing_ ,' Lucifer thought to himself. He decided to exchange the two discs from the earlier dates with two empty discs that were lying on the bottom of the cupboard and put the lids back into their places. Then he added the two discs to the one with the date of yesterday and stowed it away in his inner jacket pocket, closing the little button to prevent them from possibly falling out. He nodded, pleased with himself, as nothing indicated anymore that some were missing. He was about to lock the cupboard again when the room was suddenly filled with loud moans and panting. His head wheeled around to Chloe who was deep red and hastily closed the file she had opened.

"Sorry... Found the videos," she commented sheepishly and started to copy several folders onto the stick, her head ducked behind the laptop.

Lucifer's eyebrows shot up, and he grinned, amused at her reaction. He was about to let a naughty comment slip, as something came to his ear. He turned his head towards the door, stepping closer and listening more attentively. "Someone's coming," he warned her in a hushed voice.

"I'm already copying," she informed him in an equally low tone. "I just need some more files."

"They are approaching. Quick!" he urged and stepped to the desk, taking off his jacket and putting it on his side. Then he walked around it.

"I'm on it!" Chloe countered a little stressed, her full attention on the files in front of her, silently hoping that they would be copied fast enough before someone came inside and saw what was going on.

"We have no more time!" he told her and suddenly she was pulled up by him, his hand covering her mouth to stifle her surprised shriek. Within the blink of an eye, he'd dragged her around the desk, pushed her on top of it, and moved one of her legs around his hip, her dress was pushed up in the process. His other hand ran up to the back of her neck, keeping her in place as his mouth crashed down into its crook, claiming back his spot and sucking at it.

A soft moan filled the room, and it took Chloe a moment before she realised with dismay that it had come out of her mouth. Her head was spinning from the promptness with which everything had happened: Now one of her dress straps hung loosely around her arm and he gripped her bare breast with the hand that had just been around her knee, kneading it, while his thumb gently teased her nipple. The sensations that ran wildly around inside of her, stirred by his doing, were overwhelming, and she found herself panting heavily. It was as if her body had remembered his touch and reacted to him without her consciousness. Especially her hands seemed to suddenly develop a life of their own: one was buried in his hair, pushing his head down, and the other was on his lower back, her fingers digging into the smooth flesh. ' _When had he opened his shirt?'_ she asked herself but had no time to find out as suddenly the door was being ripped open.

They both froze.

"What are you doing in here?" They heard Amelia's voice behind them, accompanied by a closing sound of the door.

They relaxed visibly, and both heads turned towards the woman, apologising in unison, "Sorry."

"You're not supposed to be in here!" Amelia rebuked them, her head fixed to the door to give them more privacy.

With one swift move, Lucifer let go of Chloe's breast and his fingers grabbed the fabric of her dress, pulling her strap back up and covering her skin again. He straightened himself, turning towards their neighbour, while he made sure to remain directly between her and Chloe. "This was the only room that wasn't already occupied," he bluffed out while he closed the buttons of his shirt again, tucking it back into his trousers when he was done.

Chloe was impressed at how skilled his fingers not only had undressed but also redressed her again. Her cheeks blushed when she caught herself wondering how quickly he would be able to disrobe her completely, and she was glad that currently, no one was looking at her. Taking a quick glance down at herself, she hastily pushed her dress back over her thighs, smoothing the fabric, and rechecked her straps, before she hopped off the desk.

"Anyhow. Get dressed, you need to leave," Amelia urged them, cautiously opening the door again to look if anyone was in the hallway.

"Why?" Chloe asked, puzzled. She kept an eye on Amelia when Lucifer turned back to the desk, grabbing his jacket and, with that, pulling out the stick from the laptop and silently closing its lid. He put his jacket back on and let the little tool disappear into his pocket. Chloe's purse caught his eye, still lying on the other side of the desk, and he grabbed around Chloe. His hand rested on her belly, holding her in place as a cover, while he leant over and grabbed it, not recognising that his brief touch caused her to stiffen up by the heatwave that ran through her.

Unaware of what they were doing, Amelia opened the door wider, gesturing them to follow her as she explained, "Because you mentioned his daughter! I heard him on the phone. That's why! How did you find out about her? Who told you?" she asked further but didn't really listen to an answer when she led them back up the stairway. Before she opened the door to the ground floor again, she turned her attention back to Chloe and Lucifer, cautioning them with a hushed voice, "You're not safe here any longer. Please, leave."

They managed to reach the entrance hall and were almost halfway through to the front door, when suddenly McClain called after them, "Amelia, there you are. We were looking for you."

Amelia froze but quickly got out of it. She turned around; a well-trained nonchalant smile on her face. "I was with my friends," she informed him and stepped directly in between him and her neighbours.

"Really?" he questioned, suspiciously staring back and forth between her and the two. "You don't look as if you were _with them_ ," he commented and pointed towards the slightly messy hair and looks of Chloe and Lucifer, but the neat appearance of herself.

Amelia let out a warm chuckle and explained to him, "That's because I've wanted to watch." Without another word, she turned around, ignoring the owner of the house, and placed a hand on each of their backs, leading them directly to the front door.

Lucifer opened the large door, making sure that Chloe stepped out first, then he did before they both turned back to Amelia.

"Get in your car and drive out of here," Amelia whispered warningly into Chloe's ear as she hugged her goodnight. She turned to Lucifer, hugging him as well and implored once again, "Leave now. You're not safe any longer." She stepped back a little, smiling warmly at the both of them, and loudly said her goodbye, "Till later." With that, she closed the door in front of their faces.

Lucifer and Chloe went to the car as quickly as possible, driving off.

Chloe barely had had time to think about Amelia's worrisome words when their house already appeared in front of them and Lucifer turned into their driveway. ' _He must have gone full speed_ ,' she thought to herself. She was so occupied that she hadn't even realised it.

They exited the car and went inside the house. Chloe turned around and locked the front door.

"What are you doing?" Lucifer asked her, baffled, already at the bottom of the stairs. He just wanted to get some of their private stuff before they would leave again.

"Make a guess," she countered, hinting at the obvious, remaining in the entrance area and looking at him.

He shook his head sternly. "You've heard Amelia. We have to go now." What had happened was already enough, and now the direct warning from their neighbour only added up to it. Lucifer knew to never push his luck, and he was adamant to get Chloe to safety as soon as possible.

"Lucifer, we don't even know what's on the videos," Chloe objected, folding her arms to make clear that she would stay. "Or if Amelia is even right about us being in danger," she added, not wanting to risk the job now, not when they were so shortly before the finish line. Seeing him staring perplexed at her, she admitted, "Yes, her words worry me, as did the words of Maylin."

"What do you mean?" he wondered and stepped back down to her. At least, this way they didn't need to talk that loudly about such important stuff.

"Maylin said that ' _the master_ __ _wasn't there_ '. But then McClain appeared in front of us, remember?" she answered and stared at him, waiting for his nod before she went on, "And Amelia said that McClain was on the phone. What if this ' _master_ ' is the killer? What if McClain and his little group are just their followers, like in some sort of Jonestown. Without the massacre. Yet," she added, trying to hide the concern that this little thought stirred up inside of her.

"What if McClain has ordered the killer? Or he has a split personality? With the bad guy doing the bad stuff? Or likes to play tricks with the people? Or the people like to play tricks with us? After all, Detective Fernández had noted: ' _trust no one_ '," Lucifer countered sternly. At this point in the case, there were too many options. But no matter which one of these it truly would be, he was less and less willing to put her life at stake for it.

Chloe rolled her eyes at him, countering, "I'm pretty sure we can trust Amelia."

"You were also pretty sure about trusting Patricia on our arrival," he retorted and tilted his head. A light smile stretched his lips as he saw realisation hitting her, and that little emotion that flashed up in her eyes, revealing that she agreed with him.

Chloe sighed, nodding her assent. Still, she didn't want to risk anything without a proper reconsideration. "Look, all I'm saying is, we can't leave now before we don't have sturdy proof of who the killer is."

Lucifer blew out his breath but saw reason. After all, he still was the devil. He would protect her, even if the whole community was against them. Waiting until Chloe had her case waterproof, and then getting her out of this place, wouldn't be that much of a problem.

Chloe smiled at him, relieved that they were on the same page now. She ran up into her dressing room and a moment later came back down with several nylon lines and small bells. Lucifer raised his eyebrows at her in puzzlement, silently wondering how much damage this whole stress had already caused to her brain as he watched her going straight to the door, wrapping the nylon across it and attaching a bell onto each line. "What are you doing?" he asked puzzled, while she continued with the windows.

"An old trick my father had taught me when we were camping in the woods. This way we can secure our home. In case someone comes inside, the bells will ring, and we will wake up." She would have preferred the latest security system, but since this community was stated as 'highly secure', the houses weren't even equipped with an old alarm system.

"You sure about that?" he wondered and worriedly pointed to the small size of the bells.

Chloe nodded, firmly convinced of it. "Believe me, they have such a piercing sound, you won't be able to overhear them," she explained and shook one.

Lucifer felt as if the clang went directly into his brain and he quickly covered his ears, groaning loudly, "Stop it. I believe you."

She instantly stopped and chuckled lightly. Then, she grabbed two handfuls of bells and gave them to her partner, together with some of the nylon lines, ordering him to secure the back door and windows, and he went off. When she was done, she pulled the card with the security phone numbers from the fridge, and headed upstairs, making sure to place it close to her phone to call them if required.

/-/

Chloe was already in bed, laptop on her lap, watching the videos. She opened a new one and once again, the loud sound of moans and flesh slapping against one another resounded through the room. She rolled her eyes in annoyance and quickly closed the file again, ignoring the light flush on her cheeks this kind of footage had caused.

"You don't need to watch porn," Lucifer's cheerful voice came out of his dressing room. "I'm more than eager to help you release some stress," he teased further and stepped into the bedroom.

She glared at him, narrowing her eyes to make clear that this wasn't funny at all. His only reply was a cheeky grin and a chuckle, and she decided to better change the subject. "Everything secured?" she made sure, following him with her eyes as he made his way over to his side of the bed.

He nodded and watched her turning her attention back to the laptop in her lap. Once again, the laptop's speaker rang out with cries of pleasure, and his lips stretched even further as he saw her cheeks turning bright red.

Chloe narrowed her eyes, now angry, and quickly closed the file again. "I swear, these things are worse than porn." Seeing his smug grin directed at her, she quickly added, "Not that I know much about porn."

"How many videos have you already watched?" Lucifer asked nonchalantly.

"Watched?" she repeated, irritated, mildly shaking her head to clarify that this wasn't the word she would describe her work with. "I've seen random seconds from about 20 files by now. I would have to fully watch them, though, to make sure I hadn't missed anything." She sighed, the frustration about this type of ' _entertainment_ ' at this time of the hour started to wear her out. Twenty videos by now and all she'd seen were random acts of intercourses between random people from Riveroak state on the big king size bed. "I just wanted to give it a first check," she commented calmly and turned her eyes back to the screen.

"And how many more do you have?" he inquired, not hiding the personal interest in that.

"About three hundred," she guessed, half her mind absent, and sighed. She opened the next video, and again the loud sounds of people having sex appeared. She quickly stopped it again, suppressing the frustrated growl that wanted to leave her throat. ' _That's it! I'm done for today,_ ' she told herself and put the laptop on her bedside table, rubbing her hands over her eyes to get a clear sight.

Lucifer lay down on his side of the bed, not caring to cover himself with the blanket as he turned to her, observing the emotion in her eyes. "Are you _frustrated_?" he quipped teasingly, emphasising the last word.

Chloe shot him a glance. Her eyes had already turned back to the things in front of her when her brain had registered the look on his face. The smug grin that was plastered on it. The. Smug. Grin. "What?" she snapped back at him, narrowing her eyes. She got no verbal reply, only his eyes that bored into her and the wide grin on his face that she so much wanted to slap off of him right now. She growled under her breath again, clenching her teeth to prevent herself from speaking out any comment, and grabbed her book from the bedside table, hoping this would distract her from this evening, the situation right now, the pictures she'd just seen and the resultant feelings which rumbled around inside of her but she refused to acknowledge.

"My offer still holds," he informed her in a soft and tempting voice. His eyes were locked on her whole figure, attentively observing every tiny change in her expression or posture.

She took a deep breath, silently counting to ten to stifle the anger in her. _'Count on Lucifer to make overtures at the most unsuitable moment of all times!'_ she silently thought. Lightly shaking her head, she responded with a forced calm tone, "I'm reading, Lucifer."

Lucifer rolled onto his stomach, his eyes remained on her, as he decreased the space between them. "There was no need to make such a big secret out of their little salacious sex club. They are practically doing the same thing I do every day," he mentioned provokingly. "Now I'd really like to live here," he remarked and stared at the person he'd want to share that idea with.

With her eyes fixed on the little black letters on the yellowed pages, she reminded him factually, "There is still a killer among them. And I haven't even seen all of the footage yet. Maybe they have some perverted games even the devil is too uptight to join in," she countered, not able to hold that little one back.

Having her voice covering the mild sounds his shifting had caused, Lucifer had managed to crawl closer to her without her noticing, or him actually listening to her words. He grinned wickedly at his little game, and stretched his hand towards her, _accidentally_ brushing her upper arm with his fingers. In an instant, goosebumps arose on the spot he'd touched. His eyes darkened in pleasure when he also recognised that his little contact had caused a distinct peak rising up from under her shirt on the same side. "My, my, Chloe. Are we aroused?" he teased, and moved his head closer to her arm, gently blowing his breath on her skin. He bit his lip to not laugh out loud in victory as her whole arm was now covered in goosebumps.

"No!" Chloe countered sternly, scratching her arm to get rid of the sensation his whiff had caused. Knowing he wouldn't stop unless he had no partner to play with, she tried to ignore him and concentrated back on the book.

Lucifer looked up at her, wetting his lips. "You sure?" He waited for her eyes to twitch, making clear that she was trying to not give him any attention, but secretly hang more on his words than on her little novel. He supported himself on his underarms, raising his upper body and thereby bringing his head to one level with hers, as he commented nonchalantly, "Because I could swear you'd rubbed your hips against me down there in the office... And you arched your back up to press your breast some more into my palm... And when I removed my hand from it, you sounded a little... disappointed."

"You imagine things!" she answered brusquely. "I was just keeping up our cover," she bluffed out. The sentence had sounded more reasonable in her head than voiced out loud, she realised, but couldn't find something more suitable to add right away.

He pulled himself even closer to her ear, and his breath tickled her little hairs as he whispered to her, "I could give you some more of that pleasure. I know it's been a while for you since a man made you scream." He was delighted at the instant reaction he got from her.

"Stop it!" Chloe hissed angrily, but her body betrayed her. It shivered lightly at the beginning arousal his close contact caused, and her breath quickened when she got involuntarily reminded at how his touches had felt on her, and what he had done to her with his awfully skilful tongue. She glanced towards him, saw his tongue provocatively licking his lips, and more heat rose up inside of her. She quickly focused back on the book, ignoring the deep blush on her cheeks.

Lucifer smirked at her, pleased with himself that he had her so close; not only physically, but close to admitting how she really felt. "Anything you want, my sweetest Chloe," he purred and ran with the tip of his forefinger along her lower arm, up to her wrist.

Chloe pulled her arm away, frantically avoiding to stare at him just one more time. She turned towards her bedside table, putting the book onto it and commented with a mildly trembling voice, "We should go to bed now."

The smirk stretched his lips even further. He moved one arm around her, shortly underneath her breasts but made sure that he was in no direct contact with her body when he reminded her with a breathed voice, "We are already in bed, darling." His eyes darkened even more, awakening the desire in him with every further reaction he got from her.

"To sleep! I meant to sleep," she corrected insistently, but couldn't hide the nervousness in her voice.

He narrowed his eyes at her, and with one move, pulled his arm back and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling as he countered, sounding miffed, "I really don't get you, sometimes."

The relieved sigh she wanted to let out as his body was finally a distance away, was stuck in her throat at his words. "What do you mean?" she asked, surprised at the abrupt change in his mood.

All of a sudden he was on top of her, his legs pinned down the blanket that covered her lower body, his arms were stretched to both sides, a little further away so their heads were on the same level again. Chloe was startled at his move and sucked in a breath, holding it when his face came closer to her. She forced herself to breathe it out as silently as possible so he wouldn't recognise what his body – he – caused inside of her.

"I heard your moans, your pants. I saw how much you enjoyed being close to me, how your body was and is reacting to me, my touch. I felt you moving against me, getting closer each time, not wanting to break contact. Not just now, not just today, but since we've arrived here." He paused, looking her directly into her eyes. He lowered himself closer to her ear and added in a seductive whisper, "Every single cell of your body is screaming my name." He moved his head back in front of hers, locking his eyes with hers again, as he continued, "Still, each single time you say: It's nothing. It's all just cover. It's all just _fake._ " He almost spat the word, making very clear to her that he wasn't willing to buy that lie any longer.

Chloe narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. Angry at him, at what he'd said. And deep down inside of her, angry that he was right. "What do you want to hear, Lucifer?" she retorted upset.

He moved his upper body back a little, allowing more space in between them, when he answered cheerfully, "The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!" He waited a little before he mimicked her words and purred teasingly, " _Chloe_."

Her eyes stared down on her arms that she had folded in front of her chest. She gritted her teeth and pursed her lips, angry, frustrated, and at a loss. Slightly she shook her head as if she wanted to say that he would never hear such things from her, but then all at once her guard tumbled down and she admitted, "Alright! Yes, I liked your hands on me. And what you did with your tongue... it felt... good!" Actually, it felt way more than that, she silently added, but she wasn't ready to admit that little secret aloud. "Happy now?" she asked and glared at him.

"Not quite," Lucifer retorted, grinning. He saw her expectantly staring at him, and he provocatively ran his tongue over his lips again, before he pressed them on each other, causing a light smacking sound when he parted them again.

Chloe shifted her eyes around the room, doing anything to avoid looking directly at him again. His gesture made very clear to her what he had in mind, but they couldn't. They shouldn't. She shook her head vehemently, swallowing down the lump in her throat, before she stated, "Lucifer, we are partners!... And this is a job." She still was angry, but not at him anymore, rather at the circumstances, at the big battle her mind fought with her body, that gave her more and more signals of what it truly wanted right now.

"And we will stay partners, no matter what," he assured her in a surprisingly comforting voice. "I'm just saying that this case already had cost us so much: nerves, and energy, and... _sweat_. Why not taking a little advantage out of it as well?" Seeing her rolling her eyes once again and glaring at him, annoyed, he added smugly, "We live in a big house. No one will hear us. No one will ever find out what we do inside of here. Ever!" She turned her head away from him, but he knew the wheels inside her were moving, fast. "What happens in Riveroak, stays in Riveroak," he commented with a grin and chuckled lightly as the inner fight with herself revealed its outcome more and more on her face. "Chloe," he sang her name, wanting attention but she kept avoiding him. He stared at her chest, saw the increased flat breathing, and grinned even more. His head moved closer to her again, and he whispered, "Look at me, Chloe." She slightly shook her head, and he repeated his request with a more insistent voice, "Look at me." He smiled assuringly at her when she complied this time. "Now," he started and his dark eyes stared at her. "Do you want me to get off, or go down on you?"

Chloe swallowed nervously at the absolutely unexpected question. In her head she was screaming at herself, ordering sternly: _'Get off! Get off! Tell him to get off!_ ' She took a deep breath, trying to calm down her nerves so that her voice wouldn't tremble this time. Then she plucked up all her courage, and almost choked on herself when she suddenly heard herself whispering, "go down."

Those two words were music to his ears. He purred softly, smiling pleased, and bent slightly forward, covering the little place between her lower lip and her chin with a gentle kiss. "With the greatest pleasure," he whispered and drew a path with his lips, down her throat and along her cleavage. He planted soft kisses on the thin fabric of her top while he moved lower, his legs pushing down the blanket in the process. He'd reached the little area where the hem ended but her panties hadn't started yet, and he covered her bare skin with more kisses.

Low smacking noises resounded through the room as he gently sucked around her navel. He parted his lips and let his tongue play with the now moist skin in between, drawing little circles, and Chloe held her breath at the mind-boggling sensation this little caress had caused inside her. She felt as if dozens of fireballs made their way down to between her legs, wetting her even more, and she wasn't sure if she would spontaneously burst into flames or melt away. Her lungs started to burn, and she sucked in a deep, well-needed breath, panting heavily when she exhaled again. "Relax, and just enjoy yourself," she heard his soft voice telling her. ' _As if I'd be able to do anything else at this moment_ ,' she thought to herself. Her body started to shiver in anticipation of what was about to come. She was nervous and clutched her hands over her eyes as she felt her cheeks heat up again, not only in arousal but also in shame. Her head was still telling her that they shouldn't do this. That this was a bad idea. That going down this road was a one-way ticket. That she should stop this right now before it started... but she really didn't want to.

Lucifer completely removed the blanket from her legs and positioned himself between them. With both of his hands, he ran over the outer sides of her thighs and up to her hips, caressing the skin, while he continued with planting kisses on her lower belly and her panties. One of his hands moved towards the inner side of one of her thighs, and he felt her body tremble beneath his fingertips. He chuckled lightly, and ran with his forefinger over her panties, right to the middle of them, and as he felt them already dripping wet, his eyes turned completely black from arousal. Still, he held himself back, he wanted to relish this moment as long as possible, wanted to spoil each part of her body. The tip of his finger moved over to the panties' hemline, running along, up and down, before he let his finger slip below to finally feel the sensitive skin underneath. The further he went inside the moister it became, and he purred with delight while he moved his finger up and down again, feeling her folds slippery wet and probing into her entrance so easily.

Chloe moaned out loud when she felt his finger enter her fully; and as his tongue darted forward and ran little circles over the fabric of her panties, right above the spot where her little nerve bundle was, her body trembled again, shaken by the ecstasy this feeling caused within her. "Lucifer," she whimpered in between breaths, almost begging him to stop with this sweet torture.

 _'Don't say the devil isn't merciful,'_ he thought to himself, grinning smugly, and retrieved his finger again, licking the delicious fluids off of it to once again get a taste of her. For a second, he considered to pull down the little piece of clothing, but then his grin turned into an evil smirk when a different idea struck him. He looked up at her, asking nonchalantly, "Are these your favourite knickers?"

"What?" Chloe was baffled. She'd neither expected that question nor had the required energy to properly process it, and simply breathed a "No!" All at once, she heard the fabric of her panties being ripped open on both sides, and the light sound of it falling to the ground somewhere in the room. Not even having the time to think about what'd just happened, she suddenly felt his mouth on her lower lips, sucking them in and playing with them, and his tongue ran teasingly over the whole area. She gasped for air and cried out with delight. There wasn't enough strength inside of her to cover her mouth and stifle the sounds that came out of her, nor to actually think about caring about the noises she made. All she could do was realise how good it felt to have him back between her legs and to relish getting spoiled.

Lucifer moved his hands below her thighs and helped her resting them on his shoulders before he moved his hands up to her hips, steadying her on both sides as he lifted her pelvis off of the mattress to grant himself a better access.

He started to dip his tongue into her, sliding in and out again, and each time she felt his muscle enter her further. When he found her special spot, he stopped with his thrusting movements. She couldn't feel how he rubbed against it; she only felt the heat this little treatment caused inside of her, letting her burn from within. The sensation was simply staggering. No man had ever done this before. Chloe hadn't even known that this was possible, what he was doing just now. Her panting increased and soon she was gasping for air. She dug her fingers into the fabric of her bedsheets, holding tight, as the tingling inside of her rose, moving with strengthening rotations from out of her centre. Chloe let her head fall onto the pillow when it reached its peak and suddenly, she exploded from within. The tingling heat washed over her whole body, and she shook in pleasure.

The room was filled with her heavy gasps and Lucifer continued to rub against her inner muscles, slowly removing his tongue from her while she came down from her high. He sucked in her lips again, teasing the now very sensitive and swollen flesh, and he enjoyed the little whimpers escaping her mouth when he ran his tongue up to her nub. The tip brushed only lightly over the nerve bundle, but it was already too much for Chloe to handle. She pushed herself upwards, trying to get away from his mouth to give her body some relief, but Lucifer still had his hands firmly on her hips and directly pulled her back down. She sucked in a sharp breath when the movement caused a firm rub over her clit, sending an electric shock through her, and she pressed her head back in the pillow, her hands frantically clasping the sheets, as she slowly exhaled with panting.

Lucifer lowered her pelvis back onto the mattress but kept on holding her firmly gripped. His hands clasped around the upper parts of her thighs, close to her centre, keeping her legs parted as he lowered his head further down and started to rub across her nub again.

Chloe cried out in pain and pleasure, the mixing emotions within her caused her nerves to fire wildly through her body, and she shook again. With all the strength that was left inside of her, she moved her hands down to him, pushing against his head, signalling him to stop, but his only reply was a chuckle and a sweet kiss on her thigh when he rose his head. His dark eyes stared at her as he countered cheekily, "I'm not done with you yet." She used the moment to quickly cover her sensitive spot with both her hands, and he chuckled again and kissed her fingers, before he grabbed her wrists and easily pulled them off, holding tight as he lowered his lips back down on her.

She sucked in another breath when he teased the little swollen nub with the tip of his tongue again, drawing little circles over it. The pressure increased, and so did the whimpers she let out between gasps. Her panting got heavier as the pain turned back into pleasure, arising the tingling inside of her anew. She grasped his hands tighter, firmly digging her nails into his palms, and her upper body reared up when another wave rushed over her and sent her quickly, but all the more intense back over the edge. Her body trembled when she came down again, and she took several feeble breaths to refill her lungs with some necessary air.

After licking up everything she was willing to give, he pushed himself up on her, covering the path to her navel with tender kisses, while his arms rested to both sides of her body. One hand caressed the skin around her waist, while the other ran up and down her upper leg, stroking her flesh and soothing her exhausted body. He dipped his tongue into her navel, licking up the little sweat pearls that had run into it, and as her body shivered under his touch, he let out a low chuckle. His hand on her waist moved further up, his fingers reaching her ribcage, and he looked up at her, seeing her still panting heavily as he ordered softly, "Remove your top for me."

Chloe shook her head with exhaustion, telling him between gasps, "We shouldn't do this. We really shouldn't." But her hands had already gripped around the hem of her top and pulled it over her head.

Lucifer grinned at her contradicting words and behaviour. "Don't tell me what we shouldn't do, love. Tell me what you want," he whispered and followed her hands with his mouth, planting kisses onto the revealing skin. His lips headed for one of the hard nipples that stood out on her breasts like little peaks. He moved his tongue around the tip, before he closed his mouth around it, sucking on it. His hand gently kneaded the flesh of her other breast, before his thumb caressed her nipple, moving in small circles over it and sending shivers down her spine.

Loud moans left her mouth, and one of her hands went to his back, stroking over the skin while making sure to leave out his scars. The fingers of her other hand ran through his hair, lightly massaging his scalp and playing with his strands. She curved upwards with her body, and pushed her breasts further into his mouth and hand, while her hands kept him in place, making sure that he wouldn't stop with his attention on her anytime soon. Her leg was half around his hip, his warm hand holding tight in her knee pit, and she closed in on him, pressing her leg onto his hot body. She felt his hard tip on her entrance, lightly poking against her flesh and once again, she pressed her leg into him, trying to push him further up, but his body remained in its current position, stiff like a poker.

He chuckled again, releasing her breast from his mouth, and he moved his hand from her knee along her thigh, before he grasped her hand that was buried in his hair. He intertwined his fingers with hers, and placed soft kisses on her knuckles as he repeated again, "Tell me what you want, Chloe."

Chloe groaned in mild frustration. He knew damn well what she wanted right now. He just wanted to get some satisfaction from her saying it out loud, she thought miffed. Again, she tried to push him upwards with her leg, but his body remained stiff. She stared at him, her dark eyes filled with desire fixed at his, and she pursed her lips in light anger when she saw that smug grin back on his lips. Barely being able to hold herself back any longer, she squinted her eyes shut, tilted her head backwards and admitted with a groan, "You inside of me."

"But of course, my dear," he replied teasingly and lowered his head again. This time, his lips closed in on her other nipple, gently sucking on her flesh, before he let his tongue dart forward and dance around the hard peak. Her loud gasps aroused him further, and he continued with nibbling on her nipple and then soothing the flesh again with his tongue.

She was almost about to come just by what he did to her breast, and as his other hand released hers and went to her free breast, gently squeezing it before his thumb moved onto her hard peak, lightly rubbing it and sending flashes of ecstasy directly down to her core, she finally had enough. "Now!" she demanded insistently, secretly hoping he did what she'd told him before the rest of her pride would vanish and she would start to beg. Considering the current state of arousal she found herself in, that wouldn't take long.

' _Oh!_ ' Lucifer thought and smiled pleased. He was pleasantly surprised that she finally listened to the craving inside her. Without thinking twice, he supported himself on both arms, pushed himself upwards, and entered her in one swift move.

Suddenly his heart skipped a beat as he felt the soft, wet and very warm flesh of her inner muscles clasping around his shaft. It stirred up a sensation inside of him he didn't even have the words to describe it with. It felt like nothing he'd ever felt before, but at the same time like everything he'd ever experienced all at once. He even forgot to breathe, it had overwhelmed him so much. Only when Chloe instinctively wrapped her legs around him and, with that, gave him a light push further into her, shot his mind back into the here and now.

He inhaled sharply, nearly choking on the air, and forced himself to breathe out slowly to get himself back under control. "Better?" he asked softly, his mind working on full autopilot, trying to cover up his startle. He heard her moan the answer, and the delighted smile that settled down on her lips assured him that she liked it just as much. His eyes were still widely open in astonishment at the unacquainted sensation, and he stared down at her, relishing the sight of her naked body underneath him, and the lust it stirred up in him.

All of a sudden, her eyes sprang open and he was barely able to narrow his own back to their nonchalant state before she had turned her attention to him. Her sea blue sapphires looked warmly at him, and she moved her arms onto his cheeks, pulling down his head and locking their lips.

Lucifer relaxed into her touch. He grasped around her, hugging her tight and felt her arms move back around his neck as he deepened the kiss. Their tongues danced with each other after he entered her mouth, and another moan escaped her throat. Or was it his? He started to move, gently, up and down in even thrusts, and Chloe smiled against him. She broke the kiss briefly to tell him to push deeper into her, and a satisfied moan left her mouth when he instantly complied and filled her out completely. They intensified their kiss again, tongue brushing against tongue, rubbing over the flesh and sending further tingling sensations through their bodies.

He felt another heat wave rising up inside of him, but this time it wasn't a pleasurable one. It was the same he'd had yesterday, and the day before, and he knew what was about to come. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stifle down the fire within, to lock it back deep inside of him, but it didn't work. His eyes flashed up fiery red underneath his lids; this time burning so brightly that he feared Chloe could see it through. Sweat ran down his forehead, and he quickly broke the kiss with her, moving his head into the crook of her neck while holding her tight, doing everything to keep her from seeing his eyes. He panted heavily and took several gasps to fill his lungs with some much-needed air. His body started to tremble, and he felt his other form seething below the surface, wanting to break out. What if she'd see him like this? He didn't know the answer, and he was afraid, truly afraid that this moment between them which had started out as the purest dream would quickly turn into an earth-shattering nightmare, for the both of them. In a touch of panic, he pressed his hand over her eyes, urgently pleading her, "Close your eyes, Chloe."

"Why?" she whispered perplexed, her mind still caught within her arousal, not understanding his sudden change in behaviour, nor registering the sudden desperation in his voice.

"Just keep them closed, please," he replied, almost begging. Absent-mindedly he started to cease his movements, as he pleaded further, "Would you do this for me?"

Chloe nodded assuringly. "Just don't stop. Don't stop," she whispered and grabbed his neck tighter while pushing her leg back against him.

Lucifer let out a relieved chuckle. He smiled at her, increasing his pace again, and he assured, "Never!" Knowing that she would also feel his skin change, he pushed himself back up into a sitting position. With his one hand still above her eyes, he moved his other hand down around her hips, slightly pushing her pelvis up and holding her in place. "You keep your eyes closed, and I do what you want," he voiced their little bargain.

She nodded again, and instantly demanded, "Harder!" She couldn't see the wolfish grin on his face or the fiery red eyes that stared down at her in delight. But she felt him thrust deeper and firmer into her and another wave rushed through her body, filling her with pleasure and making her squirm. She moved her hands to his body, feeling the need to have more contact with him, but his hands quickly grabbed hers, moving them above her head. One of his hands kept them pinned there, while his other moved back around her hips, holding her tight, while he increased the pace once again. "I wanna touch you," she complained with a whimper, panting, before another low moan left her throat.

"I know," Lucifer replied softly, bending down closer to her, whispering tenderly, "Later, my love." The words left his mouth before he'd even registered their meaning, and Chloe seemed to be caught up too deep in her own arousal to realise what he'd just said. He sat back up, stretching his body upright, when his other skin broke free, slowly starting with his head before his whole body was covered in his deep, dark red scars. His eyes never left hers, making sure to recognise even the smallest flutter of her lids to cover them in time with his hand. But she never did. She only opened her mouth when her panting increased so much that she couldn't get enough oxygen through her nose any longer, and she took long, deep breaths, while her hands tightened their grip around his fingers.

He would have loved to kiss her right now; would have loved to cover her body with his own, holding her in a close embrace, while they would ride out their orgasms in a joint game of pleasure and lust. But he couldn't. He knew his other skin felt different, he didn't even want to speak because the change also caused his voice to deepen an octave. He only hoped that he would have enough strength to change back before this was over. Her breaths quickened further and her body started to tremble slightly, indicating that she was close. He was shortly before his climax himself. He quickened his pace once again, and as it built up inside of him, his body tilted backwards and he stared at the ceiling with wide open eyes as he went over the edge, not ceasing his rhythm in the slightest, knowing she was right behind.

Chloe sucked in a breath and then held it as the hot wave erupted inside of her, rolling through her body like lava after she came. She let out her breath again and her body slackened. She pressed her head back into the pillow, doing nothing but gasping for air while he kept on moving inside of her, prolonging her orgasm.

Lucifer looked down on himself and recognised with relief that his skin started to change back. He let go of her hips, letting them sink back into the mattress. Once again he bent down to her, covering her eyes with his hand and her lips with his own, sighing with relief into her when his fiery eyes turned back to their dark brown colour. He let go of her hands and ran his own down her upper body before he placed them on each side and pushed himself downwards, gently thrusting out of her in the movement. He crawled back up to her, wanting to wrap himself around her when suddenly her wide, satisfied smile turned south and she quickly covered her face as a loud sob escaped her throat.

"Chloe? What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" he asked, full of worry and at a loss of her abrupt change in behaviour. Automatically, his hands moved over her belly and legs, spending comfort and trying to soothe whatever was troubling her right now.

Having come down from her orgasm had also turned the wheels in her head back to work, and she realised what she'd avoided thinking about until now: This work was temporary. And soon they would be back at their workplace, back into the precinct. No more living together. No more closeness. No more pretending.

"Why did you have to be so damn perfect?" she mumbled frustratedly into her hands, angry at herself, angry for having let the wall tumble down that she'd built up so carefully throughout her life. If it had just been the sex, she maybe could have handled it. Maybe she could have ignored the feelings of jealousy and desire up to the point she no longer noticed them when she'd see him with other women, giving them what she secretly longed for. But it was everything together, his whole self: the way he treated her, so gentle and caring; the way he spoke about her, as if she was everything he ever wanted; the way his arms felt around her, his whole body, the feelings only he managed to stir up inside of her; and yes, also this awesome, mind-blowing sex between them, where he spoiled her up to the point that she felt thoroughly satisfied. How could she even think in the slightest that someday she would stop wanting all that from him or even more? She didn't know it, and this welled up big, hot tears in her eyes and let them run down her cheeks.

Lucifer stared at her in sheer puzzlement. Her body was still slightly trembling, coming down from her orgasm, and she should have been ecstatic, actually. But still, she was lying right in front of him, clutching her face and... crying. "What do you mean?" he asked, assuming that by the way she said it, it hadn't been a praise. He feared that she might have seen him in his other skin, but he quickly shook it off. That wasn't the case; he'd made sure of it. So why wasn't she delighted?

Chloe shook her head slightly. She felt ridiculous and ashamed, lying right in front of him, sobbing, right after they had sex. But this wholesome satisfaction that had made her body relax to the fullest also bared her internal feelings; she couldn't get them back under control so easily. She also couldn't get those thoughts out of her head again. "This job is almost done!" she mumbled further, shaking her head once more. "And then I have to pretend this never happened." She spoke the last words louder than she had intended to when she had unintentionally shifted her hands away from her mouth.

"Chloe," Lucifer sighed her name and carefully covered her body with his own, supporting his weight with his legs and arms he'd positioned on both her sides. He bent down, kissing her dearly onto her lips. One of his hand went up to her head, gently stroking her long curls, which even with the dampness in them felt as smooth as silk. His other hand caressed her arm and cleavage, covering as much skin as possible with his fingers. Feeling her slowly calming down, he bent down a little, commenting, "Normally, I make women cry with pleasure and not cry with sorrow." He smiled relieved when he heard her chuckle.

"Sorry," she apologised quietly, wiping away the tears from her eyes before she looked up. She smiled at him, trying to assure him that she was fine, but they both knew that the opposite was the case. "Just give me a minute," she requested, rubbing her eyes once more and taking several deep breaths to calm down her troubled heart. Without a word, she felt him standing up from her and her whole body shivered in cold. She quickly looked at him, startled for a moment, fearing he'd leave, but when she saw that he was only bending down to grab the blanket before he moved back to her, she smiled, relieved.

Lucifer took back his place on top of her, wrapping them both tightly into the blanket. His hand went back around her head, halfway buried in her hair, and his thumb gently stroke her forehead. He moved his other hand down on her, grabbing her leg and positioning it back over his hip. He liked the feeling of her leg around him. It gave him some sense of closeness and safety, not that he'd ever admit that out loud. As he felt her wrapping both her legs around him by herself and holding tight, he moved his hand back up to her arm, letting his fingers slowly run up and down. Moving his head closer to her, he asked softly, "Feeling warm?" He saw her nodding her answer, and the smile she sent him looked more at ease this time. Now he felt confident enough to voice the question that was running through his head since she'd mumbled those words. "Why do you want to pretend this here never happened?"

Chloe breathed out a long sigh. She looked to the side, her eyes fixed on the wall while she searched in her mind for words to explain it with. Her hands slowly moved upwards, running over his arms and shoulders, feeling his warm skin, relishing that the sheer contact with him instantly calmed her down. She didn't really want to answer his question. She'd prefer to just lay here, intertwined with him, feeling the heat radiating from his body, wrapping her up in that sense of safety she'd loved so much. But their partnership was about honesty. She couldn't demand it from him when she wasn't willing to give it as well. "Because," she started and swallowed the lump she felt in her throat. She sighed again. Turning her head back, she plucked up her courage, and admitted truthfully, "Because pretending all this was just a dream is easier than seeing you every day, wanting you, and not being allowed to act on it."

He tilted his head a little, not quite knowing if he'd understood correctly what she was telling him. "If you want me, then why wouldn't you be allowed to act on it?" he wondered, puzzled. Now that she said she wanted to have sex with him, how could she think he denied? After all, he would be more than eager to fulfil her every desire as long as he could keep her in his arms. As long as he could satisfy the need, this yearning, he felt more and more, to have her as close to him as possible, to feel her, to breathe her. He'd only held himself back because he knew she wouldn't want it, too.

She shook her head, her eyes fixed on his. "You don't understand this. For you it's just sex," she replied but cut herself off when she saw his eyes suddenly turn black in anger.

That hurt! That really hurt! Lucifer narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. He turned his head, not wanting to look at her right now. Hadn't he proven himself to her more than once? Hadn't he shown her within those last days that he was more than just a player? The urge to leave this room crawled up on him, and he pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Lucifer, no! Don't leave," Chloe pleaded, feeling instantly sorry, and clutched her arms around his neck, trying to hold him back. He pushed himself out of her grasp with surprising gentleness and brought more distance between them. Chloe hastily rushed after him. "I'm sorry. OK. I'm sorry," she apologised and once again clasped her arms around his neck, holding onto him. "Don't go," she whispered into his shoulder, before she planted kisses on the skin, hoping to soothe his feelings. She'd wanted to slap herself when she saw how much pain her words had caused him. And she felt so stupid for speaking them out so recklessly. She knew they weren't true; she felt it; she hoped it. So why did she say them and, thereby, imply that he was that shallow? All this time, he'd been so gentle with her, so caring, and she could do nothing else than hurt him? Tears welled up in her eyes, and she quickly pressed her eyes shut, to keep them from leaving.

He sat there stiff like a poker, not knowing what to do. He still was angry at her words, hurt about how she could even think that this with her had been just sex _._ But then the memories popped up into his head and showed him the answer: Yes, except for this one slip, he'd never lied to her. But on the other hand, he hadn't really told her the whole truth, either. And normally, for him, it would have been 'just sex'. He inhaled and felt her body firmly pressed against his own, slightly trembling and some little, wet drops running down his spine. His hands moved up to hers, gently stroking her fingers to warm them up. And when he encompassed her fingers, that warm feeling spread out inside of him again. He took a deep breath, enjoying the soothing feeling the close contact with her stirred up, and he told her softly, "It wasn't just sex." Their eyes met when he turned his head, adding calmly, "With you, it's different." He sighed and turned his upper body further towards her, grabbing her and pulling her into his lap, holding close. Having her back in his arms let his anger and hurt vanish completely. "I've... changed," he admitted and tightened his grip on her.

"I know," Chloe affirmed and snuggled further into him. She moved her hands under his arms, ran them up his back again and grabbed his shoulders, holding on tight and telling herself that this time, she wouldn't let go that easily. "A part of me doesn't want to find this killer. That part wants to stay here, with you, forever," she disclosed and swallowed down the guilt she instantly felt at the confession. "But I know this won't happen. We have a job to do. And then, we will go back to our lives like they were before." She sighed heavily, biting back the tears that wanted to leave her eyes. "I don't want to lose you," she whispered and her tears broke free. The pain and fear she felt made it hard for her to breathe; as if an invisible hand choked her from inside. She tightened the grip around him and took several deep breaths to get her feelings back under control.

"Chloe, you're not losing me," Lucifer assured her calmly. He tilted his head, kissed her dearly on her temple before he looked over his shoulder, grabbing for the blanket and, once again, wrapped them both tightly into it. This time not because of the cold; he felt, he needed to shield them both from the world around them. "And we don't have to give up anything of this when we go back to our job," he added and looked at her with determination in his eyes.

She wished she could believe him. She so wished this to be true. But they simply were too different. "I highly doubt that you would give up your life, LUX, and move in with me, Lucifer," she countered sorrowful, shaking her head. "We're too different," she voiced her thought, and once again snuggled into him. Even if all this would be over soon, for the moment she could at least enjoy his warm body pressed against hers.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes and slightly shook his head. Her words didn't please him. "Why does anyone of us has to give up anything at all?" he asked frustrated. Yes, humans were blessed with the greatest gift in the universe, the one he'd been condemned down to hell for – free will. But why did they have to choose one option? Why couldn't it be a little bit of both? "Why does it have to be one way or the other?" he repeated out loud, adding a bit more insistent, "Why can't we simply enjoy to be together when we are? We don't need a false house, a pretended marriage, to be..." he shook his head, not quite believing the word he was about to say, but that summed up all the truth, "Real."

Chloe tilted her head back and looked at him with wide, astonished eyes. He was nothing like the self-absorbed, childish man she got to know. His words made him appear so mature; as if those past four days let him grow by years. "Wow, you really have changed," she stated deeply impressed.

Lucifer chuckled, his eyes sparkling with delight. Now her words did sound like a compliment. He looked at her, sighing, and pulled her up, his lips locking with hers. They deepened the kiss, caressing each others' tongues as long as they needed to. When they finally were satisfied, their feelings finally soothed down, they broke the kiss again. "So," Lucifer started and carefully placed his forehead against hers. "Do you need to discuss our future life now? Or is it fine for you to take one step after the other, simply enjoy the time we're here, and discuss what happens next after the case is closed?"

She chuckled lightly, and gently stroke his cheek. "One step after the other sounds fine," she answered and moved her chin up to plant another kiss on his lips.

"Good," he stated, grinning, and bent down to kiss her lips again. "Now that we've discussed this, we can go back to the more important question," he added and straightened his head back. He saw the question marks in her eyes, and asked in the most serious tone he could manage, "Ready for round two?"

The lips on her face instantly stretched into a wide smirk and Chloe had to avert her gaze from him for a moment to get that emotion back under control. She looked up at him, an equally serious look on her face, as she countered, "Depends." Lucifer's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline as he stared at her puzzled about what it might be. Without any further warning, she suddenly pushed him down and pressed his upper body into the mattress, both her legs straddling him firmly, as she ended, "This time, I'm on top!"

"Lucifer likes!" he purred, grinning cheekily, and instantly relaxed under her touch.

* * *

 **A/N:** End of chapter four. I hope you liked it, especially the end for which I needed the most of the time to write. Not because of the sex-scene, that was easy, but because of the balance between their physical contact and the solving between their feelings for each other. Well, it's getting interesting in their emotional rollercoaster. Anyway! :D How do you feel after reading this?

Have a nice day!

:o)


	5. She wants to own me

**A/N:** My dear readers. Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews. And my apologies in advance that this chapter took me a little longer. RL took a heavy toll on me and I needed several times to get back into writing. Anyway. Here it comes, the second last chapter! I hope you like it as much as the others :D

This chapter had been **beta-read** by Daemon. As always, you're awesome! Thank you so much for spending your time on this story and me :D All remaining mistakes are my own ;)

Enjoy!

* * *

 _She wants to own me_

o~o

When her sleep lightened, Chloe took a deep breath and instantly got reminded of the events of the night: She could almost taste the pheromones on her tongue that were still lingering in the air around them, carried by the transpiration of both their bodies. She was lying on top of him, tightly snuggled to his warm skin. Both his arms were firmly wrapped around her, keeping her secure. They wouldn't have needed the blanket that covered them, so much warmth was radiating from his body. Once again, she took a deep breath. His scent tickled her nose and brought a smile to her face.

Chloe turned her head and pressed her lips in a tender kiss on the place right above his heart. It all seemed so surreal. For one and a half years she'd been working with him now, and the whole time all this bickering between them, his advances and her refusal, like an everlasting dance, had defined the boundaries of their partnership, their friendship. But all this had been eradicated within these past five days. All the warnings she'd told herself, all the restrictions she'd set herself, became meaningless within the blink of an eye; and no longer could she deny how much she felt drawn to this man right underneath her. Even if she didn't want to admit it, he'd somehow slipped inside her heart right from the start, and, safely nestled deep down there, without her knowing, her love for him grew and grew and grew...

She smiled against his skin and turned her head again to place her cheek on the spot. Her hands moved from around his sides up his torso, running her fingers across his chest, feeling its shape underneath. She tilted her head backwards to look at his face. He slept so peacefully, even the corners of his lips were curled upwards into the trace of a smile. "Lucifer?" she whispered softly, testing if he was at the edge of waking up yet. He didn't react, or move anything else of his body, except for his chest that was evenly rising and falling, visualising his steady breathing. His skin felt so smooth beneath her fingers, she just couldn't keep them from running across it, feeling all the little soft hairs, and also, sensing the beginning of a familiar tingle in the depths of her core, stirred up by this closeness.

She shifted on top of him, stretching her legs along his, and turned her head back down to his skin. Unable to resist, she lowered her lips down on one of his tiny nipples and gently nibbled with her teeth on it, before her tongue soothed the flesh. She looked back up, grinning, hoping to see any reaction from him, any clue that he was awake as well, but there was none. "Lucifer!" she called his name, this time a little louder and with a little more urgency in her voice, revealing her arousal. Still, he didn't react. _'So no round three, then,_ ' she thought to herself and let her forehead drop down on his chest in disappointment, biting back the frustration. Sighing, Chloe decided to leave it at that and to get up.

His arms were holding so tight onto her, that she almost manoeuvred the both of them out of the bed while trying to untangle from him, and she couldn't help wondering how he still remained so fast asleep. Finally free, she got off the bed, covering him again with the blanket that had fallen onto the floor during her struggles, tucking him in and gently running her fingers through his hair, before she made a beeline into her bathroom.

The extensive shower had been very refreshing; not only for her muscles and skin, also for her mind that, surprisingly, hadn't shown her any pictures of the last night while the water was pouring down on her.

Stepping out of the cubicle, Chloe wrapped herself in a towel and walked to her washbasin, wiping off the steam from the mirror when she'd reached it. She looked at herself: Her damp hair was clinging to her shoulders, the lack of sleep loomed under her eyes, and besides the big smirk on her lips, she didn't look any different. But she felt different; she felt lighter. Maybe it was because of the hopefully soon end of their undercover operation, or the feelings she'd shared with Lucifer yesterday – the feelings she finally allowed herself to have, or the sex they'd had. The absolutely incredible sex between them, that was so exhausting but at the same time so restorative. Chloe looked into the mirror again, and then lightly laughed to herself: All this time during their partnership he'd told her about his extreme stamina. That he could do it all night long, with several women simultaneously. But yesterday, after his self-claimed round two, he'd barely been able to wrap her in his arms before he dropped off. She found it a little odd, but couldn't think much about it before sleep washed over her equally fast.

She rested her arms on both sides of the basin, supporting her body while her thoughts once again went back to the night, back to how his tongue had felt on and in her body, how perfectly they'd fit together during their sex... Suddenly, her features froze as a realisation struck her, and she cried out a muffled "Fuck!" They didn't use any protection! _'Damn it!'_ it ran through her mind, and she had to hold herself back from banging her head down onto the marble at this recklessness. She squinted her eyes and sighed deeply. ' _That wasn't good. That wasn't good at all,_ ' she thought to herself, shaking her head as she opened the mirror and grabbed her little bag containing drugs for emergencies from behind. Rummaging inside of it, she finally found the pillbox and withdrew it. She looked down at the little thing in her hand, getting reminded at the moment Ella had placed it in front of her. _'Just in case!'_ she'd told her back then. And Chloe had been so adamant not to take it, had told her over and over again, that this would never happen during her work. But still, Ella had insisted to _'be on the safe side!_ ', had implored her that she ' _could never know what happens_ ' and that ' _the next pharmacy would be miles away_ '. But what she remembered the most was the grin on Ella's face as she told her ' _just take it with you, and give it back to me afterwards._ '

 _'Damn it!'_ Chloe silently cursed again. She should have taken it without having made such a fuss about it. Then, she wouldn't have to explain to Ella that she did have to use that little pill. She could almost depict Ella's look in her mind, that knowing smile on her lips when she would come out with the information. Shaking her head once more in frustration, Chloe eventually retrieved the morning-after pill out of its packaging, filled half her glass with water and downed both. Lucifer's words ran through her mind when she put the glass back down: ' _What happens in Riveroak, stays in Riveroak._ ' She could only hope that her reproductive organs would stick to that plan as well.

After having made herself ready and getting dressed, she went back into the bedroom to Lucifer's side and sat down next to him. She watched him carefully. He still was fast asleep, with his chest being the only part of his body that was moving. She put her hand on his torso, gently running her fingers over it, before she sighed to herself, pushing her worrying thoughts to the back of her mind. She bent forward to kiss him on his head, while she stood up. Walking around the bed again, she grabbed her laptop from her bedside table and went down into the kitchen. She opened the fridge, finding all her sandwiches inside, and grabbed two. Closing the fridge again, she turned around and made her way into the sitting area. She threw herself in the armchair, let her legs dangle over the armrest, took a big bite from one of her sandwiches, put it down on the coffee table and opened the laptop, calling up the next files.

Chloe wanted to continue working, she really did. But over and over again her mind drifted back to the man that was upstairs, still wandering deeply in dreamland. Was it a habit that he always had such a sound sleep? She shook her head, recalling the moment she'd woken up in his apartment. It hadn't even been eight in the morning, back then, and he was fresh like a sea breeze. And also the first night here, he'd been waking up when she had. So what was different? Was the case too exhausting for him? Was it the lack of alcohol in his system? Chloe quickly shook her head at that thought, refusing to believe that too little booze would lead to something like that. But still, her cop mind kept on working. It also worried her that he'd been sweating so much during the last four days. It was true, never before she'd seen him with sweat on his face, or his body shaking or trembling, not even after he'd chased down that villain that one time; or when he'd showed up at the crime scene, totally drunk. He'd looked messy, yes, but neither sweaty nor shaken. And apparently, not even a morning jog could bring him to perspire. So, what was it that led to such a reaction? What did these past four days have in common?

The wheels in Chloe's head worked on full speed. She narrowed her eyes, staring blankly into the room, as she concentrated on the thoughts in her head. All of a sudden, she bolted upright, her eyes big in bafflement, as she came to a conclusion, and she voiced appalled, "Fuck!"

/-/

Lucifer woke up with a wide smile on his face; his lips stretched even further up to his ears when the memories of the last night played vivid movies in his mind. It had been perfect. And all he could think about right now was continuing precisely where they'd stopped. He stretched his arms to both sides, feeling the ground of the bed on his right, and an empty sheet on his left. He looked into both directions, noticing that he was all by himself in the bedroom. Again. And he groaned in frustration. Grabbing the watch from his bedside table, he eyed the time: It was past noon. Again.

He clutched a hand over his eyes, rubbing them, as he felt the annoyance inside of him building up. No wonder Chloe was nowhere near him when he'd sleep all day, and half of the night if he remembered correctly. Initially, he'd intended on keeping her up until the dawn of the day, to elicit as much of these sweet noises from her as possible, to make her writhe and pant beneath him, and above him, and in all other angles, he could think of. He wanted to take all the stress, bad thoughts, and worry from her, and fill her with nothing but purest pleasure and satisfaction. But he could barely hold his eyes open after he'd erupted inside of her the second time. He felt exhausted like he hadn't been in ages and could only grasp around her, getting her into his arms to keep her safe and secure before he felt sleep befalling him. At least, this time he didn't feel his other skin wanting to break out of him while she'd been on top. He sighed relieved at that thought. Maybe it was just the overwhelming feeling of her around him the first time that made his insides literally turn upside down. ' _Well, there is only one way to find that out, right?_ ' he thought to himself, a wicked grin stretching his lips once again. He hastily tossed the blanket to the side and got up, making himself ready as quickly as possible. Then, he went light-footedly down, heading directly into the kitchen.

The corners of his lips instantly dropped when he found the room unoccupied. ' _Strange!_ ' he thought. Normally Chloe would have been sitting here, waiting for him to come down. Letting out a low sigh, he turned around, looking for her in the other rooms. Eventually, he found her in the sitting area in one of the chairs with her laptop on her legs. "Morning, love," he greeted her cheerfully, and instantly made his way over to her.

Chloe looked over her shoulder, replying with a friendly, but cautious sounding "morning", and attentively watched him as he approached her.

Lucifer halted for a second, swallowing down the sudden startle he felt at her reaction. Did he do something wrong last night? According to her screams and moans, he quickly concluded that that hadn't been the case and shrugged off that tiny feeling, stretching his lips again and asking her blithely, "How was your sleep?" He walked around, facing her almost fully, but still kept a safety distance to her. The wary stare that was plastered on her face somehow stirred up a queasy feeling inside of him and he didn't quite know how to react. Maybe she'd found something on the videos. ' _That's it,_ ' he silently concluded. ' _It must be the videos._ '

It had been almost four hours in which she had continued her work, but half her mind had remained at her theory and him. And now that he finally was awake, she was determined to follow through with her plan. To just test her theory, and nothing else; to not get distracted by him, his body, his... everything. She shook her head and swallowed before she plucked up all the courage that was inside of her.

Without another word, Chloe got up, sternly gazing at Lucifer while placing the laptop on the coffee table, and walked up to him, who backed away from her in puzzlement. She kept on walking, while he kept on backing away from her, his puzzled frown slowly turning into a light fright. "Chloe?" he called her in a hushed voice. He felt the couch in his calves and swallowed nervously when she was suddenly so close in front of him that their bodies almost touched. Still remaining silent, she pushed him down onto the furniture, quickly straddled him while her hands grabbed his shoulders, pushing his upper body into the backrest and pinning him down. Her face was directly above his, staring down with concern and determination, and Lucifer swallowed as the fear inside of him grew. "What are you doing?" he asked her, his voice almost shaking, and looked up at her, perplexed.

"Testing a theory," Chloe answered, before her hands grabbed his cheeks, holding him in place, as she bent down and pressed her lips against his. She felt his tensed body instantly relax into her, his hands moved up along the back of her thighs, kneading the flesh beneath her jeans, while his lips stretched into a grin. She kept his cheeks firmly gripped as she intensified the kiss a little, pressing his upper lip between hers, before she turned her attention to his lower lip, giving it the same treatment. She felt the tip of his tongue at her lip-line, requesting entry, and she quickly pulled back, straightening herself.

A low protest left his mouth and he stared up at her, his eyes already filled with desire. His hands moved up directly onto her butt cheeks and he pressed her body into his. "Mh," he purred, and added in a husky voice, "I like that kind of testing." One of his hands moved up her back to the place between her shoulders and he tried to press her down, while straightening himself as much as possible, intending to get her lips back on his, but she, stiff like a poker, only stared further at him with determination in her eyes.

Chloe had studied him carefully, nothing was out of the ordinary, so she lowered herself again, keeping his head firmly gripped with her hands, while her lips went back to his mouth. Again, he requested entry, and this time she bestowed it on him; opening her lips so his tongue could explore her mouth, play with hers. After their initial dance, the kiss deepened further and their tongues rubbed against each other, fighting a little battle of who got the upper hand.

She heard his panting and stopped again, ignoring his new dissent. She straightened herself back while keeping him pinned down, denying him to come after her. She looked at him, a slight frown on her face as she attentively observed his features: His pupils were so dilated, his eyes almost appeared black. She made out little sweat pearls on his hairline that slowly but steadily spread out all over his forehead, and he was still breathing heavily.

Lucifer tried to pull her back down to him, but somehow he had no strength in his arms, he felt weak, but he didn't mind since his lust let him block out everything but the woman right in front of him and the pleasure he wanted to have with her again. "Don't stop, please, kiss me some more," he begged her, stretching his head as much as he was able to. His lips turned into a wide cheeky smile as his wish was granted and she lowered her lips back on his. He instantly pushed his muscle back into her mouth, feeling the rough texture of her tongue as he rubbed against it with gentle force, tasting her again. That infatuating flavour of hers enslaved him already to her, and he willingly obeyed; he wanted to smell and taste her for the rest of his eternal life. He packed her butt cheek and lower back with all the strength that was left inside of him, pressing her as close to his body as possible. He wanted to feel her again, wrapped around him with her tender skin and muscles. A soft moan escaped his throat as he once again pushed his tongue deeper into her, licking up everything he could to satisfy his hunger.

Chloe felt his eagerness for her and was willing to give him anything he wanted when her own arousal dictated her every move. Only as his body started trembling underneath her was her mind brought back into reality, and she pushed herself away from him. Panting heavily herself, she kept his upper body at a distance while attentively studying his face and body: He was shaking with exhaustion and rested his head on the backrest, in lack of energy to hold it up himself; his hands were still on her back and butt, but not to press her into him any longer, now he was holding onto her; his eyes were closed, their lids firmly pressed down so she couldn't see if they were any more dilated; and his chest was rising and falling in rapid movements, matching his gasps. "Lucifer?" she called him, hoping he would look at her, but his only response was squinting his eyes further shut and a wide smirk showing up on his face that let him appear like a loon. "Look at me, Lucifer," she demanded worriedly, her hands on both his cheeks, holding his head in position, while she caressed his skin with her thumbs. For a brief moment, his lids fluttered open, and she could make out two black circles below. "Shit!" she silently cursed. "It really is me!"

"What do you mean?" he whispered feebly. He moaned faintly as he felt her thighs pressing onto his when she took a seat in his lap. And when her hands went up into his hair, gently scratching his scalp, his lust raised further, providing him with enough strength to say what was running through his mind. "Kiss me some more, Chloe," he ordered, but his voice rather sounded like a plea. "We need to do more of that testing, whatever it is for." He chuckled lightly at his own words before he let out a low frustrated groan when he didn't feel her comply this time.

She shook her head at him, albeit knowing he couldn't see it. "Lucifer, I'm the reason why you're reacting so strangely," she explained, not quite knowing how much of her words he could actually process, but he needed to know. "That sweating, that shaking of your body, and most probably also this death-like deep sleep of yours, are caused by the French kisses with me," she concluded to herself, frowning, and voiced the first thought that struck her mind, "Maybe you're allergic to me or something like that. I mean, I did once read about that woman who was allergic to her husband's sperm, and they couldn't get any children."

"Mh," he replied, prolonging this low hum as a substitute for words. He half opened his eyes, looking at her tiredly but his mind was fully awake. "So we can make love all the time without worrying about babies," he repeated her words jokingly and giggled softly.

"Lucifer!" she scolded him and quickly pressed his head back into the backrest as he made an attempt towards her lips. "I'm serious. Do you understand what this means?"

"That you're a knock-out, literally," he answered and chuckled some more. He opened his lids fully and looked at her with warm and longing eyes.

Chloe was about to scold him again for his lack of seriousness, but then thought about his words and found them quite fitting. She nodded at him, earning another cheeky smile. "Seems so," she replied agreeing, and pursed her lips in worry.

Lucifer hummed some more, and tightened his grip around her, pushing her into him as he felt his strength coming back. "There's just one catch," he remarked with a sudden steady voice. "On that day they forced us, we didn't kiss with tongue," he commented, supportively shaking his head.

"Well, when it's in my saliva what makes you react this way," she started and motioned her forefinger in front of him to underline what she meant. "Then it's in all of my bodily fluids," she concluded. After all, he did taste her thoroughly that day, she silently added. Her further thoughts were abruptly interrupted when she felt his hand moving from her butt to her front, fiddling with the zip of her jeans. "What are you doing?" she asked aghast, staring at him with wide open eyes.

"There's only one way to find out for sure," he retorted with the cheekiest, but at the same time, slyest grin Chloe had ever seen on his face.

She wanted to hold him back, but when her hands had reached his wrist, his fingers had already disappeared inside her trousers. Luckily they didn't come far in her sitting position and with her panties in the way. "I think we can agree without another test, that you're somehow allergic to me," she quickly replied, trying to get his fingers back out with half-hearted attempts; the mere prospect of physical contact with him made her sensual part counteract against her logic with a growing voice. His other hand was firmly pressed against her back, pushing her closer to him while suddenly his head moved towards her as well, intending on locking their lips back together. "Lucifer," she cautioned him and quickly put both her hands on his shoulders, pushing him back against the backrest. Right now, kissing was definitely a ' _No_ '! She knew herself; she would toss all the caution overboard even quicker when she felt his lips back on hers.

"Come on, Chloe, kiss me. Just one more kiss," he pleaded, his eyes filled with desire and his mind harbouring only one thought: He wanted to feel her again, no matter how. He pressed her back further into him, and finally gained access to her panties as well. Slipping his fingers inside, he rubbed them against her soft skin.

"You sound like an addict," Chloe countered, frowning. On a second thought, it really seemed as if she was like a drug to him; the way he looked, the way he acted, the long sleep as if he needed to come down from a high. Maybe he wasn't allergic to her at all, but rather developed some kind of intoxication by her fluids. And the one time he broke down in front of her was maybe just the result of his system's overextension. At the thought that she wouldn't cause a life-threatening reaction in him, she sensed her reasoning part shrinking more and more, and his caressing stirred her own sexual excitement further up. It was OK, right? As long as he wouldn't taste any of her fluids again, they would be safe. He wouldn't get one of his reactions, and she wouldn't feel as if she'd take advantage of him, Chloe debated in her head. Agreeing with herself, she eventually gave in to the pleasure.

"You are addictive," he whispered, bringing her out of her mind as he grabbed her butt, and pulled her up and against him in one swift move, giving his other hand the needed space to push further down. He gasped in delight as he finally felt her labia between his fingers, smooth as silk and already beginning to get wet.

Chloe sucked in a breath as she felt him caressing her folds. She instinctively pushed her pelvis forward, granting him better access, and when his other hand pushed her hard against his torso again and two of his fingers entered her, she let out a low moan, biting her lower lip. Her upper body reared back, and she quickly grabbed whatever her hands could catch; she dug her fingers into it to keep herself from falling backwards, not realising that it had been his shoulders she'd held onto.

Lucifer winced when the sharp pain ran through his body where her nails had scratched his skin open, colouring his white shirt in a light red. But he didn't care. He felt himself already hard at the sheer sight of her in front of him, her head tilted back, moaning in pleasure at his fingers slipping in and out of her in rapid movements while his thumb rubbed her nub in small circles. His head was on one level with her breasts and he moved his mouth over one of her mounts, breathing hot air down upon the fabric of her shirt. But that wasn't enough for him. He wanted to feel her skin in and around his lips again. Having both his hands already occupied, one with giving her pleasure, and the other one with steadying her, he tilted his head backwards, asking huskily, "Can I get your breasts?" Her answer was a delighted nod, her mouth already half open, unable to do anything else than inhale and exhale as she indulged in his massage. He smirked and lowered himself back over the little peak that was sticking out from below, carefully bringing the fabric in between his teeth and briefly pulling at it, before he added, "I need a little help here."

Her mind already on standby, she quickly grabbed the buttons of her shirt, opening them halfway down until her bra came into view. She was barely fast enough to push the fabric of her cups down from her breasts as she felt him latching onto one, eagerly sucking at it. Still, this wasn't the one she wanted him to play with, she decided and pushed his head towards the other. He smirked at her demanding behaviour before his lips locked around her hard nipple and his tongue started to dance around her areola. One of her hands ran through his hair until she felt the back of his head and grabbed onto him, slightly pressing him further against her and keeping him in position, while her other hand went around his neck, her fingers grabbing his shoulder again, steadying herself. She panted heavily, feeling the movement of his fingers speeding up. She lowered her head, kissing the top of his head and moaning into it when hot tingling waves rushed through her body, announcing that she was close to reaching her own peak of arousal. Automatically, she started to move her hips against him to increase the pressure on her inner flesh. She felt her orgasm build up and let her head fall back, taking short but heavy gasps. But suddenly he stopped with his treatment, and she groaned loudly in frustration, "Why did you stop? I was about to come!"

His reply was a low chuckle after he released her breast from his lips. "Precisely because," he riposted and stared up at her with black, lecherous eyes. "Do you want my fingers to push you over the edge, or my tongue?" he asked in a throaty voice.

Chloe quickly shook her head, her mind starting its service again at the worry for his health. "None of my fluids will enter your mouth from now on," she determined, panting, her body still trembling from the stimulation and only slowly coming down.

Lucifer shook his head in objection, removed his hand from her trousers, and demonstratively licked the moisture off of his two fingers, his gaze fixed on her the whole time.

' _So much for being careful,_ ' Chloe thought and narrowed her eyes on him, miffed that he always had to have his own way. "Lucifer, you can't be serious," she rebuked him sternly, hiding that half her anger was fuelled by the abrupt stop of his magical work on her.

"Oh, believe me, Chloe. I am very serious," he countered, his dark eyes pierced into hers. "I don't care about sweating or shaking or feeling drunk. I want you. All of you. Now!"

She lowered her gaze, still debating with herself in her mind whether she should comply with him or not, but then again, he was a grown man. It was his decision. And if he wanted to get drugged by her or whatever she'd cause in his system, then why should she still go against his and even her own desire? Sighing, she lowered her head, giving her answer to him in a tender kiss on his lips.

Lucifer grinned against her. He locked his mouth back on hers after she'd pulled back, before he replied, "That's what I thought." He kissed her again, his hands on her back, running up and down her spine, pulling her closer to him, while he caressed her lips with his own. "So, how do you want to get off?" he whispered against her lips, and moved one hand to her front, gently kneading on one breast, before he teased the hard peak with his thumb. He trailed soft kisses along her jaw, down her throat, and further to the other nipple, brushing against it with his lips, feeling the hard but at the same time soft texture on his philtrum. He relished the sparks this little contact unleashed inside of him while he listened to the sweet sounds that escaped her throat.

Chloe didn't know what to answer, and in that moment she didn't really care. She couldn't decide on which sensation she should concentrate first: Feeling his skin against her nipple, and then, as he moved his head slightly upwards, also his upper lip brushing against it, before he decided to let his tongue tease her again, its tip running little circles around the peak; or how he raised her arousal with his thumb on her other peak. The firmer he rubbed it, the harder it got and, thereby, sent very distinct waves towards her core again. She dug her fingers into his back, knowing that this treatment had made her dripping wet. When she felt she couldn't take it any longer, she answered, panting, "Do what you like."

He grabbed back around her, holding her securely as he turned their bodies and gently manoeuvred her onto the couch. He continued with stimulating her nipples while he tried to pull her trousers down. But it didn't work. They were too slim and somehow didn't want to move down her thighs. "Bugger!" he cursed under his breath and positioned himself farther away from her to have a better grip on her jeans. "Why couldn't you wear a dress," he complained, pulling her trousers further down her legs.

His impatience and struggles, as well as his building frustration, amused her, and Chloe couldn't help but giggle at the sight of him, fully concentrated, frantically trying to get her legs out of her jeans. He finally managed to free one of them completely while the other one was still covered with the fabric up to her knee. He didn't care about that little detail. Eagerly he removed his own shirt before lowering himself down between her legs, moving the freed leg over his shoulder and along his back, while the other was dangling over the edge of the couch.

Chloe still giggled at his show when he almost disappeared between her legs, but as she felt his lips on her, sucking on her clit, rubbing it between his lips before he used his tongue, her noises quickly turned into gasps. She moaned out loudly when his two fingers entered her again, rubbing her inner muscles while his mouth worked on her bundle of nerves above. His free hand went up to one of her breasts, caressing her peak again, and she curved backwards in pleasure, feeling the arousal spreading out inside of her at the speed of light, setting her body into a light state of constant shiver. She grabbed his hand, holding his wrist gripped and caressing his skin, while her other hand went down to his head, running through his hair, playing with its short curls.

Lucifer increased the pressure on her nub while he rubbed with his fingers firmly against her special spot. Her panting and moans fuelled his own excitation, he felt himself harden further and couldn't wait until he would finally bury himself inside of her again. But first, he wanted to make her scream. He stopped with teasing her nipple as he felt her fingers tighten their grip around his hand some more. And as she reared her body up again, pushing her pelvis forward, he knew she was close. A soft whimper left her throat as he increased the pressure against her spot from inside, while his tongue rubbed across her nub from outside. The hot wave inside of her erupted, pushing her over the edge, and she cried out with delight. Her inner muscles clenched around his fingers, squeezing them tightly and shoving them out of her, and his eyes flashed up fiery red in lust, this time on purpose. Heavy gasps filled the air as she came down from her high. Lucifer smirked into her smooth skin, and eagerly licked up everything that left her body, before he made his way up to her, trailing a path of kisses on her body until he reached her mouth. "Hey," he whispered, delighted, and was greeted by her equally softly breathed "hi". He closed the short gap between them and kissed her tenderly.

Chloe could taste herself on his lips as she intensified the kiss. She gently wrapped her arms around him as he buried himself into her neck, lightly brushing with his mouth against her skin, grinning into it. Fully satisfied, she ran her fingers through his hair, caressing him, and her other hand ran over his back, caringly stroking his muscles. Her hand on his back moved down with each further stroke until she reached the hem of his trousers. The evidence of his own arousal was firmly pressed into her and she was determined to give back some of the pleasure he'd given her. She shifted slightly to get better access to the zipper, opened it and slipped her hand inside. An electrifying tingle ran through her as she felt his hard but smooth member pressed against her palm. She wrapped her fingers around it and stroked along his shaft in long, slow moves.

Lucifer moaned softly next to her ear and shifted himself as well to provide more entry for her and her sweet caress. He snuggled his head further into her neck, relishing the tender care of her, both on his head and especially around his penis. He felt himself harden even more with her delicate fingers clasped around it, using just the right pressure as they ran up and down. His breathing quickened and a hot wave built up inside of him, giving away that he was close. He could have come right then and there, but he wanted to relish her contact as long as possible. Therefore, he swallowed down his arousal, concentrated his mind, and relaxed his muscles just right to stay as close as he could without exploding. He felt her fingers moving up to his exposed glans and he sucked in a sharp breath, overwhelmed at the ecstatic feeling that her deliberate touches on his now extremely sensitive skin had caused. He exhaled slowly, breathing away the tension in his lower core, and grinned into her neck, stunned at how skilled she was.

Chloe smirked cheekily, her other hand buried in his hair, gently scratching his scalp. "Do you like that?" she asked softly and his answer was an actual purr. She chuckled at the unusual noise, but relished the sound of it; it somehow turned her on, how he enjoyed her teasing his glans, letting her thumb dance over his slick opening before she lowered her closed hand back as far as she could reach. Her own arousal stirred up as well. She already imagined how she would place her lips around his glans as her fingers reached its top again, letting his foreskin rub over it with each of her strokes. Getting excited by the idea, she shifted herself some more and briefly looked at him, just to realise that his eyes were closed, and his purrs had turned into even breaths. "Lucifer?" she called him in a hushed voice, completely baffled. Was he... sleeping? She moved her hand up to his face, rubbing her fingers firmly over his cheek, calling him again, but it seemed he was truly back in dreamland.

"Really?!" she groaned in frustration and struggled herself free from under him. She couldn't believe that he fell asleep on her, while she was rubbing him. Shaking her head, she quickly reminded herself that it was because of his intoxication, but still, she couldn't get rid of the little voice deep down inside of her that slagged her ego. Not wanting to let him lie there as he was, she grabbed a pillow from out of the chair and placed it under his head. Then, she took the blanket that lay folded together on the other side of the couch. Stepping back to him, she looked down, eyeing his penis that peeped out from beneath his trousers, almost as if it was begging for her attention, but she couldn't. Not when he was asleep. There was no fun in going down on someone when he couldn't relish it with every sense of his body. Bending down, she gave its top a peck and mumbled a soft "sorry, pal" to it before she packed it back and wrapped the blanket around him. She got dressed again and moved back to her chair, continuing with her work, while keeping an eye on sleeping beauty.

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He looked through the window, his gaze fixed on Chloe as she took the laptop from the coffee table and put it on her lap again, typing on it. For a brief moment, his lids shut as he came and he kept on stroking, his releasing fluids quickly colouring some spots on his trousers a shade darker. Who had thought that this spying would turn out that delightful? He definitely hadn't, after he'd spent over an hour watching her in that chair, and was almost about to get up from his little hiding spot at the window when he saw her husband entering the room. It was too bad that the windows were soundproof, though, otherwise he could have listened to the moans and gasps they made during their intercourse. But the sight of them was already arousing enough for him to shove his hand into his trousers and join their little game, even if it was from afar.

He grinned satisfied. No, these two definitely didn't know a thing about anything. They were clueless as fuck, or else they wouldn't have gotten on with each other right now, he concluded to himself. Relieved that they posed no threat, he nodded, quickly zipped up his trousers, and cautiously stepped away from their window, making sure they didn't see him as he went back to his house across the street. The boss would definitely be ecstatic to hear that they will have a lot of fun with their newest residents in the future.

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Lucifer awoke slowly. His eyes were still closed when he took in a deep breath, stretching all his muscles and feeling the light rush running through his veins. There was still some arousal left in his system that came back to life when he remembered Chloe's slender fingers around his shaft before he'd drifted off. The thought stretched his lips widely and he finally looked around, hoping to see his most wanted woman, but sadly realised, he was alone. Again.

Narrowing his eyes, he grunted in annoyance and got up from the couch, grabbed his shirt and put it back on. He looked down on himself and readjusted his clothes until everything was back in its place before he walked out of the room. Soft sizzling noises came from the kitchen and he headed directly towards it.

He saw Chloe standing in front of the stove, busy with stirring something. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows and the corners of her shirt hung to both sides, indicating that she must have let the lower ones of its buttons open. His mood instantly changed back to his cheerfulness and his lips went back up to his ears. With few large steps, he was right behind her, stopping so closely that their bodies almost touched. He moved his arms around her waist, resting his hands on her lower belly and enjoying the feeling of her bare skin underneath his touch when he gently pulled her towards him. "Wasn't making dinner my job?" he whispered into her ear and moved his lips to her earlobe, lightly nibbling on it, before he lowered them down into the crook of her neck, kissing her dearly and breathing in her scent as he hugged her tighter.

Chloe shut her eyes for a brief moment, relishing the feeling of him around her, but she quickly pushed back the beginning tingle inside of her. No, she still was angry at him, and she was determined not to let him off that easily. After all, it was his fault, somehow, if seen in a very, very broad sense. "Well, it's almost six. Not everyone has the luxury to sleep all day," she snidely remarked and poked the roast potatoes with a little more force than needed. She also felt hurt crawling up on her and quickly locked that emotion away. She knew herself, feeling hurt only made her want to bury her head into his neck and snuggle up to him. But right now wasn't the time to cuddle, she needed to get those things off of her chest before they would crush her.

Lucifer grinned against her skin. He clearly heard, by the sound of her voice, that she was miffed at him falling asleep, and he knew exactly how to make up for that. Tightening his grip around her once more, he nudged his nose against her cheek, lightly brushing his hips from side to side against her behind, while he breathed charmingly into her ear, "Come on. You know that wasn't my fault."

What were meant to be appeasing words only stirred up her anger further and she dropped the spatula into the pan, clenching her fists to keep herself from banging them onto the counter. These past few days had made her composure wearing thin, even the sex with him hadn't helped for long or the talk they had had the night before. That he was able to get under her skin so quickly, just by saying something flippant or by doing something that wasn't even under his full control, was a red flag. She definitely was out of her cop mode, but she needed to get back into it, and that she needed to do fast. They still had the case to solve, and Chloe knew, when she was testy, this closure was at risk. Pursing her lips to bite back the stinger that lingered on the tip of her tongue, she mentally counted to ten and took some low, calming breaths before she countered, "So what, you fell asleep because of me?" ' _Damn it!_ ' she instantly scolded herself at the sardonic tone, not liking it at all, that she still was too sour to keep a cool head at that; and too upset to concentrate on the dinner as well, she recognised as some of the potatoes started to burn. She pushed the pan onto the rear stove plate and killed the heat, waiting for his answer.

He frowned in worry at her brusque reaction and straightened his head back to attentively observe her from the side: Her jaw was tensed and her eyes were narrowed down. It seemed, she wasn't just miffed and he knew right away that making out wouldn't get that back into order; not even make-up sex would help in the state she was in right now. He actually had to talk to her, despite his aversion to do so. Sighing, he gently turned her around, facing him fully. "I can assure you, my dear, that it definitely wasn't you," he replied soothingly and ran his hands up and down her upper arms. "Or because of your delicate and very skilled fingers," he added with a smirk. The second her reaction needed to show on her face felt agonisingly long. But when he finally saw her features soften and a light smile colour her lips, he was relieved and grinned widely. That was easier than thought, he silently noted and pulled her into a hug, kissing her dearly on her cheek while he ran his hands over her back.

Chloe sighed and let herself get pampered for a bit by his warmth and caress. It was exactly what got her out of her mood, not so much his words, but the way he held her in his arms; as if they were her protecting shield. For a moment, she considered to give him a cold shoulder just to get even with him, but she couldn't. Not when he looked at her this way, with his mischievous smile and his brown doe eyes. She could never stay mad at him for long, even if she wanted to. Darn! It was only a couple of days, and he already knew how to wrap her around his little finger. Shaking her head and taking another deep breath, she silently admitted defeat. "It doesn't matter anyway," she announced with sadness and gently shoved him away from her. Taking another step back to keep a decent distance between their bodies, she continued in a moderate tone, "We still have a case to work on and I need you fully awake and alert." She swallowed and shrugged off the uneasy feeling that rose at her thought before she voiced it aloud, determined to follow through with that, "Hence, no more physical contact until this whole thing is over."

"But, Chloe!" Lucifer instantly cried out and objected, appalled, "This isn't fair!" He hadn't realised that those words had been as difficult for her as they were for him. His senses were completely blocked by the invisible cut those words had caused in his heart. "You cannot put a hold on me after I gave you that much pleasure," he went on with the first thing that shot into his head, hoping that hearing the actual facts could make her edging down with her decision. "After all, it stands my two against your five orgasms. Six, if we count that one from the day before yesterday, too," he countered, feeling hard done by with that. But it wasn't just that. 'No more physical contact' not only meant the sex, it also included kissing or holding her, and he knew he couldn't do that. Heck, he was barely able to keep his hands from constantly reaching out to her. How was he supposed to function properly when his mind was filled with the longing for her?

Chloe stared at him, flabbergasted. For a short moment, she thought she'd misheard, but the resolute look on his face made it very clear that he'd really just said that. Her mind was blank, she didn't know what to say and her mouth opened and shut a couple of times, like a fish gasping for air. Then, the wheels turned with light-speed, sending the words directly to her mouth while her forefinger poked into his chest, pushing him slightly backwards with each stroke. "Are you seriously complaining about the unequal number of orgasms we had?" she asked sharply, her voice rose with each word, making clear how furious she was right now.

Lucifer rubbed the spot her finger had poked into to soothe the pain. He was baffled and briefly considered to tell her that he actually was against the no-body-contact-policy, but felt that voicing that out loud would make him appear weak or clingy. And he was neither of them! He decided to stick with the sexual part instead; knowing that she was always eager to keep it even with him when it came to money; and sex, somehow, fell into the same category for him, he was dead sure she would be more willing to comply with that. He straightened himself and nodded, answering her with a low but casual, "Yes."

Her eyes went wide in shock, and she briefly looked into space to calm herself, before she narrowed them down, pursed her lips and stared back at him in anger. How much she wished she had her gun with her right now, to shoot him, multiple times. "Alright," she began in a strained, nonchalant tone and took a deep breath, collecting all her thoughts before she started her rant, "That first one was under forced circumstances, so I dare you to count that in. Then yesterday, when you went down on me twice in a row, I didn't want the second one, remember? But you, Mister Devil," she mocked his name, moving her head from side to side with each syllable before she stared him straight in the eyes and went on, "Insisted on it. And today, I was actually thrilled to finally go down on you as well, but you decided to take a nap instead!" She almost shouted the last words and folded her arms when she was done, darkly glaring at him, daring him to speak up.

Lucifer's eyes got big in delight and a wide, cheeky smile appeared on his lips. His brain had totally blocked out the gist of her speech at the catchwords. "Oh, you wanted to go down on me?" he assured himself. Her head tilted to one side and she slightly pushed her chin forward, giving him her non-verbal ' _yes_ '. His lips stretched even wider. Neither recognising her annoyance nor realising that it would be best not to say anything more, he suggested enthusiastically, "Then what about now? I have time, you have time, so... nothing stands against... you know..." he trailed off and pointed with his finger downwards.

Chloe growled quietly in frustration about his typical reaction. No, it wasn't just frustration she felt about him, it was resentment. Scarcely a day ago she thought he really had changed. That he somehow had become mature, but, as always, he had to prove her wrong. It was constantly one step forward, two steps back with this man and she slowly doubted her own judgement, how she could ever fall in love with a man like that. "No!" she answered through gritted teeth but kept herself from adding something verbal or physical by pressing her lips together and tightening the grip of her hands on her arms. Taking another deep breath, she composed herself once more, telling herself that he wouldn't understand anyway what he did wrong when she started yelling now, or worse, took the pan and thrash him soundly, as tempting as that thought was. With a voice that was so calm it even surprised herself, she added, "As I said: Not until this case is over."

"But I'm in need, Chloe," he whined and stared at her with big puppy-dog eyes, insistently hoping that this would sway her. After all, she technically was still in his debt with one orgasm.

She shook her head, determined not to give in, definitely not now, after what he'd said. "You have two healthy hands," she riposted coolly and turned back to the stove, grabbing the pan and putting it back on the front plate.

"But-" he was about to argue further, as Chloe wheeled back around and quickly cut him off.

"Lucifer, apparently I cause an intoxication in your system!" she shouted in anger and worry, and continued sternly, "As long as this case isn't closed or anywhere near its closing, I'll be damned if I'd touch you again."

Lucifer swallowed hard at her outburst and had to take a deep breath to digest it properly, albeit he didn't quite get what exactly let her overreact that way. "Believe me, you'll be far from damnation," he assured her with a genuine, soothing voice. "But if that's your last word, then, very well, I'll accept it," he replied earnestly and nodded at her, straightening himself, one hand put into his trouser pocket while he rested the other on the counter.

"Finally!" Chloe sighed relieved and ran her fingers through her hair. At least there would be no more distraction coming from his side until this whole thing was over. "Now, can we go back to solving this case?" she changed the topic and folded her arms back into one another.

"But this case is almost solved," he countered quickly with a mixture of despair and frustration. He didn't understand what else they needed to do. "We already have all the videos," he declared, certain of it. "There sure is something criminal on them," he added and turned towards the kitchen table, determined to look through the data himself to find it.

"No," she replied and shook her head, making him stop in his track in an instant. Letting out a low, discouraged sigh, she turned around to him and explained, "I went through all the footage and didn't find anything except for very kinky but always consensual sex between adults. We have nothing to arrest them." Her eyes were fixed at an invisible spot on the ground and she slightly shook her head. With a more hushed voice, she added, rather to herself than to him in particular, "I have to think of a different plan to find evidence."

Lucifer let out a surprised but disappointed "Oh!" At least he knew now why she was so miffed, he thought to himself and was already rummaging in his brain to say something to cheer her up, when he remembered the discs he'd grabbed yesterday. "And on the discs was nothing as well?" he asked curiously, wanting to make sure of that.

"What discs?" she counter-questioned and stared at him, puzzled.

One of his eyebrows shot up in wonderment. "Those I took from that cupboard while you were busy with the laptop," he explained casually, but his tone changed to that of wariness as he added, "Didn't I tell you?"

Chloe wanted to punch him, so angry was she right now, but then she quickly decided against it. It would have been a waste of energy, that was for sure. Swallowing down this emotion, she answered calmly, but with a hint of annoyance in her voice, "No! You left that part out!" She tapped with her fingers on her arm and fixed her eyes on him, expecting an apology. The longer the time passed for him to do so, the further her anger grew, and eventually, she couldn't hold it back anymore. "Why didn't you tell me yesterday?" she hissed sharply.

He was taken aback by her tone and needed a brief moment to get around and answer her. "Well, I was slightly distracted by the warning and by securing the house. And then, well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your body is very distracting to me as well. Especially when it's naked," he replied without any emotion in his voice.

A low growl left her throat and she glared at him for his comment. "You could have given me the discs today, you know?" she countered and tightened her grip on her arms to prevent herself from leaping forward, certain she was leaving bruises by now; that urge to punch him just didn't want to cease.

Lucifer suddenly grinned smugly at her and folded his arms as well. "Before or after you sent me K.O.?" he retorted cockily and tilted his head to one side, watching her in amusement.

Chloe had to take a deep breath. She pursed her lips in annoyance but also knew he was right about that. Deciding that dropping the argument completely and concentrating on the case instead would be best, she asked him, "Where are they now?" She innerly patted her shoulder at the calm voice she'd managed to use.

"Upstairs," he answered quickly and turned around, informing her when he walked out of the kitchen, "I'll get them."

Chloe grabbed her laptop from the table and went around, taking a seat on her preferred chair, and opened the lid, starting the system as she waited for him to come back down. It didn't take long and his footsteps resounded from the ground, getting louder the closer he got. He stopped behind her and opened the disc jacket, retrieving the lowest of the three and holding it out to her without another word. Chloe grabbed the mini-disc and put it into the DVD drive, opening a file as the folder popped up on her screen.

A direct view onto the king size bed appeared, just like in all these other videos she'd seen throughout the day, but the couple that was slowly stepping towards it instantly sent a sharp electrical stroke down her spine. She hastily stopped the video from playing further, freezing the picture that showed Lucifer as he let her down on the mattress. Shielding her view from it, she quickly withdrew the disc again and held it towards him. "Destroy it!" she ordered gravelly, avoiding to look at him as well to not get overwhelmed by the re-emerging feelings this short film had let loose.

Lucifer stared at her, flabbergasted, and shook his head in disbelief. "That's the proof that they committed a crime on us!" he retorted, aghast at her demand. "That's evidence. Why should I destroy it?" He looked down at her, puzzled. He simply couldn't wrap his head around her words. She, of all people, the detective who taught him that all evidence was important and that it must not be destroyed, under no circumstances, was asking him right now to do exactly that. Had this undercover operation changed her so much? And if this really was the case, what else had changed in her?

Chloe turned towards him and stared up with dark, dead eyes. "Lucifer, I'm not gonna repeat that again," she stated in a calm but alerting voice. "No one else will ever see what happened to us down there in this room! Understood?" She halted a moment to let her words sink in before she went on, "I'm not some sort of evidence!" She stated with steely determination. No, she would not be a testimony called up in court to bring these people down. Not when it came to herself, her own body that had been exposed. No one else would ever get to see her naked and vulnerable. She was not... not a victim.

The way her eyes had pierced through him sent a shiver down his spine, in a creepy way, and Lucifer was clever enough not to test her any further on that part. "Very well," he replied calmly and grabbed the disc from her, giving her the other two in return. He nodded briefly, signifying that he had understood, and turned around, walking to the microwave. He put the disc inside, starting it on maximum energy, and went back to her. A loud buzzing sound resounded through the kitchen and the crackling noise of the disc inside could be heard as he stopped again behind her.

The tension in her muscles ceased down at the certainty that the film was destroyed, and her features softened a bit. She looked up at him and voiced a quiet "thanks", before she took the next disc and put it into the drive, again opening the appearing file.

A small room showed up, seen from bird's eye view, and Lucifer instantly shouted, pointing at it, "See! They have a torture chamber." A smile tucked at the corners of his mouth and he couldn't stop the relieving thoughts running through his mind that they had further evidence of a crime being committed.

Chloe paused the video and turned towards him, her arm rested on the back of her chair and her eyes narrowed into a sceptical gaze, as she flatly explained, "These utensils there are for bondage and SM sex." She was surprised that he, of all people, didn't know what these things were for, and that she had to clarify them.

Lucifer looked at her as if she had two heads. "People torture themselves for sex?" he asked, dismayed. He couldn't nor didn't want to understand how someone would even find pleasure in something like that. And moreover, it appalled him to the core that apparently Chloe knew right away what they were.

One of her eyebrows shot directly upwards, surprised that he hadn't seen or heard anything about the practices of bondage or SM. His cluelessness brought a smile to her face and she countered smugly, "For someone who claims to be the devil, you can really sometimes be so... innocent," she ended in lack of a more suitable word but found it quite fitting at the sound of it.

"I _am_ the devil!" Lucifer retorted sternly and stared at her with a mixture of hurt and anger.

Grinning to herself, she slightly shook her head and turned back to her laptop, continuing the video. Two of the male residents she'd seen at the house party at McClain's but didn't know by name entered the room, flanking maid Maylin, and strapped her onto a bench. They stretched her arms above her head and widely spread her legs. Then, one positioned a penetration machine between her legs, while the other bound a thin rope around her breasts, bringing them into a painfully-looking upright position; their colour turned dark red, revealing the strangulated blood supply. The same man applied clips that hung from the ceiling onto her nipples and pulled them upwards until her skin was completely stretched.

Chloe heard Maylin's cries and whimpers through the speaker. It sent a chill through her bones and filled her with rage. She quickly lowered the volume to not get overwhelmed by it too much and put on her stern police-mask. The expression on this young woman's face also revealed how scared she was. When the other man started the machine, Maylin cried out in ache at the rough and deep penetrations. She tried to push her body upwards but the movement caused extra pain by the clips around her nipples and soon she could do nothing more than submit to the torture. Her body started trembling and red trails of blood coloured the dildo, making clear that it had ruptured her vagina. Chloe had to avert her gaze from the poor woman as nausea crawled up on her, and she swallowed down the taste of bile in her mouth.

"I can't believe people do enjoy that kind of sex," Lucifer commented in disbelief and folded his arms in front of his chest. His features revealed the distaste he felt and he visibly cringed at each cry that escaped the woman's throat. Anger built up inside of him, and he mentally wrote these two guys on his list for punishment, first and second line.

Chloe looked up at him, innerly relieved that she had a reason to fully turn her eyes away from the footage. "Does she look like she's having fun?" she ased, not hiding the disgust of what she'd just seen sounding through.

Lucifer shook his head as an answer, his lips pressed to a thin line. "So that's at least one criminal assault then," he declared and nodded, mentally telling himself that he now would definitely pay these two men a visit later.

Chloe turned her head back to the video to stop it, affirming him with a low "yes" while she carefully removed the disc, put it aside, and inserted the last one.

The same room was shown, equally from bird's eye view but apparently from a different spot on the ceiling since nearly the whole room could be seen. Most of the residents were standing along the walls, completely naked and their heads were turned towards a direction where the door must be. Unfortunately, Chloe couldn't see their faces from this perspective, otherwise, she would have known if they were there on their free will, or if they were forced. Her attention was quickly redirected as she watched several men coming inside, dragging a man along, before a woman was brought in, also held by men. They looked beaten and exhausted, just like after a fight they couldn't win, and there were also cuts all over their bodies with blood dripping out of them. The men strapped them onto the two benches in the middle of the room, and Chloe let out a shocked gasp when she recognised her murdered colleagues.

Her eyes went wide in bewilderment as she watched them staring up at the ceiling, horrified. Was this the moment of their murder? The residents still had their heads turned towards the door, and as if getting ordered, they stepped to the benches and started torturing them through penetration. It were always two or three in turn on each of her colleagues, and they used either their own bodies or tools that they grabbed from a little box between the benches. She heard the detectives cry out in pain and fear, and had to look away as one of the residents shoved a big dildo down Johnson's throat, whereby he made loud gurgling noises. Fernández squirmed in pain and eventually started crying and screaming as more and more of the male residents stepped forwards and brutally raped her. Her cries, however, were soon muffled, when they also stepped to her head and penetrated her throat.

Chloe quickly covered her mouth to stifle her own appalled cry and bit back the tears that welled up in her eyes at the sight of the two detectives' final moments. Never had she thought that it hadn't been just one or two but all of the residents to commit that crime.

"That's enough!" Lucifer suddenly declared from behind and reached over her to stop the video. He'd wanted to stop it right away when he saw the detectives appear, worried for Chloe's well-being, but had hesitated, not knowing if his interference would make her angry again. And he'd still held himself back as she'd turned away, but when he heard her low outcry and saw her body starting to tremble, this hesitation quickly vanished and his protective instinct kicked in. He moved his finger over the touchpad, intending to completely close that file and spare her any further insight into the murder of the two detectives. Before he was successful, however, Chloe grabbed his wrist and held him back. An instant electrical flash shot from his arm directly through his body. It let him get stiff like a poker, and he was unsure about how to proceed further with her no-physical-contact-order still running around in his head.

"We can't stop here," she objected with a voice that was determined but barely above a whisper. Then, she mentioned in a shaky tone, "The time-bar shows that the footage goes about an hour and-."

"Chloe, I will not let you watch these two detectives getting tortured to death," Lucifer cut her off, the concern for her blocking out any other emotion within him. He lowered himself to be on eye-level with her and stared at her sternly, but his eyes also revealed the worry he felt.

"We have to," Chloe countered a little more steady and sent him a small apologetic smile.

He shook his head, disapproving with her. "No, we don't!" he objected decisively. "Let the others do this. We've seen enough to bust this whole community."

"We haven't seen their deaths, yet. Maybe they've survived this," Chloe quickly tossed in but didn't believe her own words.

Lucifer raised one eyebrow in disbelieve. "Trust me, Chloe. I know torture. This video will show them dying, and I can't stay here and watch you... break by what they did to them," he voiced his concern and looked away shortly. There were too many emotions running around inside of him, and none of them was good for his composure, or for her calming.

Chloe took in a deep breath and smiled warmly at him. "I won't," she assured him and turned back to the video. She moved the time bar forward to about five minutes before the footage was over and pressed the play button again.

Lucifer straightened himself and wanted to pull his arm back as he felt Chloe's grip around his wrist tighten. A light smile lifted the corners of his lips, relieved that she wanted him near her in this. He stepped closer to her and moved his other arm around her, gently pressing her back into him. He rested his hand on her arm and ran little soothing circles over the fabric with his thumb. Her free hand moved up to his forearm, lightly stroking it, and she leant into him, letting herself get comforted by his warmth while they watched this horrific act being done to her colleagues.

Soon, Johnson wasn't moving anymore, and Chloe fixed her sight at Fernández. She felt sorry for what happened to the both of them, and watching them getting tortured to death for almost an hour now made her angry and sad at the same time. A part of her wanted Fernández to die right away, so she wouldn't have to endure any more pain. But there also was a little part of her that imploringly hoped for her colleague to hang on. It was silly. She already knew this woman would die, she'd seen both their corpses. So why was she hoping for her to survive?

Even though one of them was already dead and Fernández looked like she was about to die any second, the residents kept on torturing them. It didn't shock her to recognise McClain there, hurting them with what seemed like willing eagerness. And it also wasn't surprising to see Sam and her husband standing there as well. What really stabbed her through her heart was to watch Amelia and Denise also taking part in this. Chloe shook her head, a part of her still not wanting to believe her own eyes, and she quickly counted to affirm it: There truly were all of the residents from this community in this room. All of them took part in the murder of the detectives. All of them were the killers!

As Fernández's body went limp, clarifying that she'd died as well, the video zoomed out and stopped. Chloe and Lucifer stared at the black screen. Both unable to say anything or move at all. Chloe, because she was too shocked and needed a moment to digest the pictures. And Lucifer, because he was so angry, that he feared any movement could let him snap and rampage through the neighbourhood. Not because of the things he saw. No, he was filled with rage because Chloe had to watch it as well. He'd felt her grip around his hands tighten the closer the video came to its end as if she needed the contact to him to keep herself sane or to get comfort from his touch. And although she didn't make any sound or showed any physical reaction, he knew she'd been affected by what she'd seen. Deeply. He feared that this had scarred her soul. And he wouldn't let anyone get off that easily who dared to hurt her in this way.

His inner thoughts were rudely interrupted when he heard the lid of the laptop being shut and Chloe stood up from the chair, pulling her phone out from her trousers pocket and telling him that she would inform Garcia right away. He nodded at her and folded his arms in front of his chest to keep himself from walking after her and wrapping her in a tight hug, ignoring the cold chill the sudden absence of her hands on his skin had caused. "Do that," he told her in a whisper, even if she didn't hear him, as her concentration was already and completely on the little device pressed to her ear.

"Hey, Garcia. It's me, Chloe," she greeted the lieutenant and her lips briefly curled upwards as she heard his warm reply. "We know who the killer is," she went directly to the point and gazed at Lucifer, but quickly turned her head away. He looked so sad and guilty, and she felt her emotions spreading out inside of her at the sight of him, almost overpowering her. She closed her eyes and took a low breath to compose herself, before she continued speaking, replying to the elder man's words, "It's all of them... Yes, you've heard right. The whole community. We have it on video." Saying it out loud finally gave her the certainty that this case was over, and she breathed out a long, relieved sigh. These people would get life for what they'd done to the detectives alone, and one of them would definitely talk if they didn't find more evidence of the other murders as well, that she was sure of. Still, she couldn't deny the sadness sneaking up on her when she stole a glance at her partner. Damn! She'd just seen the torture and death of her colleagues, but yet she felt sad that the closure of this case also meant that she couldn't pretend this marriage with Lucifer any longer. She really needed to get her priorities straight, she silently rebuked herself.

Taking another deep breath, she pushed all inconvenient emotions away and concentrated back on the conversation, finally recognising how distressed Garcia actually sounded on the phone. She hadn't realised how much the murder of his two detectives must have touched him if he still sounded that upset. Hearing that they finally have found their murderers didn't seem to ease him up in the slightest. Maybe the fact that it was all of them had put him in another worry for their safety now? Her thought was quickly affirmed when he asked her if there was any hint of them being in danger at the moment. She thought back to the warning she got from Amelia the night before, but since almost a day had passed and nothing had happened so far, she quickly dismissed this possibility. "No," she answered him shortly and listened further to his voice. "Yeah, we're inside the house. Don't worry, we won't leave it," she answered his next question. As she heard him asking specifically about her partner, she replied calmly, biting back her surprise at this unexpected question, "Yes, Lucifer is here with me." The lieutenant continued talking to her and after a moment she answered, "We're fine... Yes, as I said, we won't leave the house... I am fine, don't worry, Lieutenant," she repeated and listened to Garcia's voice some more, nodding to his words, before she realised that she was still on the phone and he couldn't see it. "Yes, we'll be ready," she confirmed verbally and unintentionally nodded once again. "Alright, until then," she ended and hung up.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around to Lucifer, looking at him but avoiding direct eye contact as she informed him, "The Lieutenant is getting the S.W.A.T. teams ready, but since it's the whole neighbourhood, he will need some time until he has enough police. He thinks it would be best to start this between three or four in the morning, so the people are at sleep when they get arrested. This lowers the possibility of their escape. We need to stay low-key till then," she told him and mustered up all her courage to stare directly into his eyes when she ended, "He will send me a message half an hour before it starts, so we'll be ready as well."

Lucifer briefly squinted his eyes as he nodded his understanding. He was looking forward that these murderers would finally get their just punishment. He even would do this himself but knew the police wanted to carry off the laurels and it was best not to interfere with them. Or risk Chloe being harmed when he left her alone, the little voice inside his head added. Still, this also meant that everything was over at three in the morning. And this meant: They had a little over eight hours left from their pretended marriage. He knew they had to stop all this eventually when they've found the killers, but didn't think it would be so soon. Or rather, he'd ignored that probability until it was biting him in his butt right now. Pushing back the sorrow he felt building up inside of him, he cleared his throat and walked up to the stove. "Do you want me to make us some dinner?" he asked and stared down at the half-burned potatoes.

Chloe shook her head before she got aware that he stood with his back to her. "No, thanks. I'm not really hungry any longer," she declined politely and bit down on her lip in nervousness. She folded her arms in front of her chest, shielding herself from the sudden cold she felt. No, she wouldn't walk up to him and wrap her arms around him. No matter how much she wanted to. She had no reason to do it anymore. Officially, they still were only partners. And they still had to talk about what would come next. If he really wanted to take that step further in their relationship, even though she now was certain she definitely wanted to. But these past days were a state of exception. Who knew if he would change his mind again, once he was back in his apartment, back at LUX with his Brittanys and the countless other flings around him, providing him pleasure 24/7? Finally getting aware that he still hadn't turned around from the stove, she slowly walked out of the room, commenting in a forced, nonchalant tone before she was out of earshot, "I'll better go and pack my stuff, then." She barely heard his "Alright!" called after her when she ran up the stairs and directly headed to her bathroom. Closing the door behind her, she instantly stepped in front of the washbasin, opened the water tap, and splashed her face with a few handful of the cold liquid. Protected by the loud sound of running water, she let her own hot drops run down her face while she sobbed into her hands softly. How was she going to survive just one more day without him close to her?

Lucifer hadn't lifted his gaze just once from the potatoes in front of him. Only when he heard a door upstairs firmly being shut, he finally dared to turn around. He hastily wiped away some tears that had welled up in the corners of his eyes, chuckling in agony. He felt pathetic. He was the devil, for crying out loud. He should feel ecstatic at the prospect of having helped track down murderers and finally being able to go back to his life of sex, drugs and Scotch. So, why did he feel as if his world was crashing down on him? After all, he still would have sex with Chloe any time she wanted to. They had agreed on that, hadn't they? He would still see her on a daily basis. Crimes didn't solve themselves, and there was enough evil in this city to ensure that he had plenty of Chloe-time in the future. There was no need for him to fear she would change her mind on seeing him, right? Even with her child, and her pestering ex in her life. She wanted him close to her as well. Wasn't it so? Sighing, he turned back to the counter and grabbed a glass before he poured himself a whisky. He eyed the bottle a little longer when he'd put it back, softly smiling to himself as he remembered the moment Chloe had given it to him. She'd thought of him during her time out, had bought him the bottle because she knew he needed it, even if she had all the reasons to think only about herself. She was so genuinely perfect, it almost burst his heart. Taking a sip, he relished the burning sensation the liquid left in his throat. He definitely was too sober for this time of the day. Downing the rest in one go, he grabbed the bottle again and refilled the glass, before he went with it to his piano, sitting down. He took a deep breath and shook off all those worrying thoughts. There was no time for them now. He would know soon enough where he and Chloe stood after they had arrested these people, he assured himself, nodded briefly, and started to play.

After pulling herself together, Chloe walked into her dressing room and quickly packed her personal stuff into a box. Then she went into the bedroom and lay down on her side. She wasn't tired, just exhausted to no end and decided to give her eyes some rest. Soft tunes of Lucifer playing the piano reached her ear and she relaxed further into the melody, slowly drifting off to sleep.

/-/

Chloe awoke again, with an electrical flash shooting through her body. Something must have startled her. She looked through the window and saw that the stars had already risen up. Had she slept that long? Hastily, she eyed the time on the bedside table clock and sighed, relieved that there still was enough time before the police operation started. Looking back at the empty side next to her, worry furrowed her brows. Where was Lucifer? She listened attentively but didn't hear him play the piano any longer. While sitting up, the blanket that had been tightly wrapped around her fell into her lap. He definitely must have been here, Chloe thought to herself since she went to bed without any cover. But that didn't cease her concern for him, it increased it even more. It was as if she couldn't sense him anywhere, if someone believed that such things were possible, anyway. Her senses became fully alerted, and she tossed the blanket to the side, getting up. The whole house was dark, and she avoided making any sound when she went looking for him downstairs. A shine of light from outside the garden illuminated the rear hallway and she quickly followed that direction.

A relieved sigh escaped her throat when she spotted him swimming in the pool. "What are you doing here, Lucifer? It's almost midnight," she pointed out and shook her head in disbelief, approaching him, her lips stretched to a smirk.

"I'm taking a swim," he answered matter-of-factly and grinned cheekily. He swum to the end close to the deckchairs, folded his arms, laying them on the edge of the pool, and rested his head on top, watching her stopping shortly in front of him. Her feet were so near that he could easily grab them with his hands, he wouldn't even have to fully outstretch his arms to do so. The thought of her being within reach lightened up his heart, and he stared up at her with his mouth half open, smiling.

"I can see that," Chloe asserted and clasped her arms around herself when a cool breeze caught her. "You better come out if you don't want to get a cold," she told him, concerned. Albeit, now that she thought about it, she'd never seen him having a cold since she'd been working with him.

Lucifer ignored her order and kept smiling up, too elated by the sight of her to turn his head away. So far, she hadn't made a move to leave, and he concluded to himself that just getting out here and summoning him back in wasn't what she had planned in the first place, if she had planned anything at all. "Wanna join me?" he asked expectantly, silently hoping she would agree to some closeness again, with the case in its finals now.

Chloe stared at him, indecisive with herself. It was really tempting how he looked there in the pool, wearing nothing but his swim shorts, his bare chest calling her from beneath the water surface. They both knew she couldn't swim and even here at its lowest end, it was still so deep that the water would end above her nose, even when she stood on tiptoes. She would have to hold onto him in the pool, tightly. And she couldn't ignore the little jubilant voice in the back of her head at the outlook or the tingling sensation that instantly spread out inside of her. Who'd known that not being able to swim would someday have its advantage, she thought, and the corners of her lips curled upwards. Still, she couldn't just toss all her ranting from earlier overboard now, could she? "Lucifer, this pool isn't heated," she objected, giving a verbal explanation for not jumping into his arms right away, at least to herself.

"It is," he countered smugly. Seeing her baffled stare, he suggested frankly, "Just try with your legs, you can sit on the edge." He smirked at her nod and bit his lip in anticipation. His eyes went wide in delight as he watched her taking off her trousers without further words. He patted down on the spot where she should sit down and swam a little back to give her some space.

Chloe gasped in surprise at the temperature when she put her legs into the water. "It's warm! How'd you do that?" she wondered perplexed, and moved her feet back and forth, enjoying the little resulting whirls around her legs.

"I have my ways," Lucifer answered cockily. When she stared at him with a sceptical frown, he laughed out loud. "Not what you think!" He curved his hands to collect some water and poured it onto her knees, watching the liquid forming little trails down her legs. "There is a thermostat right next to the cleaning pump," he explained, briefly looking up before his eyes fixed at her knees again, and he continued with the procedure. How much he wished to grab them right now. Both her hands rested beside her body, and he placed his left hand next to her right, to be as close to her as possible without touching. She'd said she didn't want physical contact with him, and he would wait until she decided to reverse that order again, no matter how tempting she was. With his other hand, he kept on pouring water over her knees, strictly keeping his sight from wandering up her thighs to the places that were covered by her shirt. Damn, she was so tempting! His arousal came to life as he caught himself thinking about how he'd move his hand along that skin and his fingers reach the flimsy fabric of her knickers hidden beneath her shirt. Swallowing down his own needs, he silently exhaled his tension and told himself once again: He would resist until she wanted him to.

Chloe watched him pouring water down her legs, warming up the skin with each handful, while the cool air around them kept causing goosebumps near the wetted areas. His hand was so shortly above her knees, she could already feel the heat that radiated from it. And the wish for him to finally lower his fingers down and touch her grew stronger inside of her. It was a blessing and torture at the same time, that he refrained from doing so. And in this moment she truly envied him; if she were in his position, she wouldn't have been able to keep herself from touching him just one second. It was their last night, it suddenly shot through her mind. Only three hours were left before the S.W.A.T. teams would arrive and arrest the whole community, and their lives would be back to how they'd been before. And soon, all these moments they'd shared together would be nothing but a sweet memory. Would she really just want to sit out those last hours or rather make use of them to create another memory she could dream of later? A memory that would be filled with moments of only themselves, a sole togetherness that no one could ever take away from them again? Chloe had never before in her life been so quick with making a decision. She closed the gap to his hand that rested next to her, at first lightly brushing with her fingers over his knuckles, before she tenderly wrapped them around his hand.

Lucifer sucked in a breath at the sensation the soft touch caused within him. He stood stock-still, staring at the entwined hands of theirs, while his eyes, widened in surprise, quickly narrowed down and a cheeky grin coloured his face. He felt her other hand carefully lower his right one down onto her knee and he swallowed hard when his fingers came in contact with her warm skin. For a moment, he couldn't take his eyes off of the spot where his hand rested, with her small one above, keeping them both in place. He looked back up to her, searching in her eyes for approval, a silent affirmation, and found it in the coy smile she sent him. Still, the little voice inside his head that yelled ' _she hadn't said anything yet_ ' didn't want to fall silent, and he hesitated from moving any part of his body except for his eyes. She must have noticed his insecurity, he silently admitted, when she suddenly took the initiative and shoved his hand further up her thigh. His heart skipped a beat at the heat between her legs, where his fingers were now buried in and he stepped closer, shaking off any doubt left and simply enjoying the feeling of her beneath his touch, or how her lower legs brushed against his upper body. He gently squeezed her thigh and lowered his head down, planting a soft kiss on her knee before he turned his attention to her other leg and kissed the spot on her inner thigh right next to the knee pit. His feelings turned upside down; energising surges shot down into the area between his legs, stirring up his lust, while the fire within him flared up and soothed his troubled nerves, and he slowly breathed out hot air onto the skin beneath his lips.

Little sparks of arousal ran through Chloe's body, and she bit her lip to keep herself from moaning out loudly as his tongue danced over a sensitive spot, while his hand decreased the gap to the place where she wanted his fingers to be right now. She was torn, again, between her own craving of having him in and around her right now, and the scruples in her head that called her to order, because they couldn't just... here... in the pool...

Lucifer's eyes were almost dark, filled with desire, when he looked back up at her from out of the water. He moved his hand further up and relished how her fingers tightened their grip around his wrist, the closer he came to her core. "Like to come inside?" he suggested huskily and directly heard her breathy "yes". A cheeky smirk framed his face. He knew right away that that wasn't her consciousness answering him, but her body, her longing for his touch. Before she could get second thoughts, he grabbed around her hips, holding tight, as he lifted her up from the pool edge and lowered her down into the water until her head was at his level. He admired the look on her face: Her mouth was slightly open to take in more air, and her eyes were squeezed shut, revealing her arousal. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, and her legs found their resting position back around his waist. He didn't even have to steady her and could fully concentrate on the sensation her body, firmly pressed against his, caused within him. One of his arms went around her behind, grabbing her cheek and pressing her hips further into him, while he ran over her back with his other hand, gently, up and down her spine. "So, what would you like to do now?" he asked, a smug grin on his lips, and slowly kissed her chin, his eyes fixed on hers when her lids sprang open.

Chloe lost herself in the deep, dark brown colour of his irises and almost forgot to answer. Only when his hand moved from her back along her thigh, digging into the sensitive flesh of her knee pit, her mind snapped back into the here and now and she quickly blinked herself out of her stare. She knew exactly what she wanted to do now, and she was damn sure he knew that as well. Only her hesitation was in the way. But she quickly made short work of that and sent her mind on a break to relish this little piece of paradise she found herself right in. She clasped her arms firmer around his neck, enhancing the contact between their bodies some more, and decreased the gap between their faces until they breathed each others' air, before she replied smokily, "Well, maybe we could make it a little more... even."

"Yeah, we definitely can do that," he purred, swallowing down his arousal that the sound of her voice had evoked in him to not ravish her right here and now. They had all the time they needed, after all, and he wanted to savour every single reaction of her sweet body, every sound and move she made. Therefore, he controlled his own desire, and slowly moved his hand from her thigh to her back, feeling every inch of her smooth skin, before his fingers reached out of the water and disappeared into the soft hair on the back of her head. He walked a step towards the end of the pool with her and gently pressed her against the wall, his hot body providing a thrilling contrast to the cool concrete. Tenderly, his lips brushed against hers, before he kissed a trail along her jaw and down to her neck; slowly, taking his time, before he rested his head in the crook of it and sucked at his favourite spot, giving his mark back its colour.

Chloe moaned at the sensation and her fingers grasped the smooth curls of his hair, holding tight as the sparks his lips had caused ran straight to the place between her legs. His fingers grabbed firmer into her butt cheek, massaging the flesh in the rhythm of her throbbing heart and fuelling the flame of desire that flared inside of her, getting bigger and hotter with each beat. Her inner muscles tightened painfully, demanding their rightful attention, and she knew it wasn't the water inside the pool that made her dripping wet. The hand he had on her behind wandered between her legs, and his fingers stroked her skin with increasing pressure the closer they came to her core. A soft "Fuck!" escaped her throat and she dug her fingers deeper into his hair, scratching his scalp in an imitating movement.

Lucifer chuckled softly against her skin and pinned her further against the pool wall. Utilising his whole body to provide her pleasure, he slightly moved his hips from side to side, using the hard evidence of his excitement to press firmer against her and elicit more of those reactions from her. "That's exactly what I want to do. With you. All night!" he hushed into her ear and instantly got rewarded with another loud moan, giving away how much aroused she already was. He moved his head back and quickly found her half-open mouth, covering it with his own lips and kissing her passionately.

A tingling sensation washed over her like a tidal wave, but when she felt his tongue entering her she quickly pulled her head back. "No tongue!" she ordered sternly, adamantly shaking her head and reminding him, concerned, "You know what happens then."

"I don't mind getting drugged by you," he countered softly and followed with his lips back over hers.

Chloe let him kiss her only briefly before she pulled back again, pushing her own arousal down to keep a straight head. "But I do!" she objected and dodged another attempt of him to lock their mouths back together.

Lucifer sighed, not liking her reaction in the slightest, and stopped his hips from moving. His hand went back to her behind, steadying her, and he straightened his head back to look at her attentively. "Why?" he asked a little louder, trying to keep his disappointment in check. He didn't like at all how she was avoiding his deep kisses, and how this was slowly killing the mood. They still had plenty of time and it wasn't like he wanted to spend hours kissing her... or licking... at least not now, anyway.

For a brief moment, she halted, thinking it through, but then smiled smugly, pulled him back close to her, moved her mouth over his ear and softly whispered, "Because you said: 'All night'!"

His lips immediately stretched into a Cheshire cat grin and his heart burst with pleasure and joy. "You little minx!" He kissed her lightly and pressed his groin back into her pelvis, slowly starting his movements again. Her panting increased as he rubbed himself stronger against her. He felt her body shiver and grinned with delight. "So responsive already," he whispered into her ear and smirked cockily as another low moan escaped her throat. "Mh," he purred softly. He lowered his mouth to her earlobe, tenderly nibbling on it, while under water his hand moved back between her legs, starting its caress again.

Another shiver went through her body, and Chloe gasped for air. The sensations that his constant moving between her legs caused inside of her were too overwhelming. Her own orgasm started to build up. She couldn't think straight but knew she didn't want to wait for him any longer. She wanted him to get inside of her. "Lucifer," she breathed his name in eagerness, her voice quavered from her panting.

"Yes, Chloe?" he asked huskily, smirking against her cheek. He knew he had her right where he wanted her to be. She was already panting, not much longer and she would be writhing as well.

Chloe knew him, and she knew that tone. He was teasing her! He wanted her to say it out loud, wanted her to beg. But not this time! That game could be played by two, she told herself and removed one of her arms from around his neck, lowering it down into the water between them.

Lucifer quickly grabbed her wrist, keeping her back from grabbing his member. "Sh sh sh," he hushed into her ear as a soft cry of protest left her throat, smirking at her impatience. "Later," he whispered teasingly, kissing the place close to her ear and putting her arm back around his neck before his hand found its resting place again. He grasped her butt cheek with gentle force and pressed it against himself, moving his hip firmly, and sending another hot spark through her body.

' _Shit!_ ' Chloe thought frustratedly. She couldn't bear it any longer. The heat inside of her was burning her alive. She really was at his mercy. "Just...," she began and let her head fall back into his hand as another heatwave rushed through her body. "Fuck me already!"

Lucifer smiled wickedly. ' _Finally_ ,' he thought, and went with his lips back to her neck, sucking on his favourite spot once more.

"Good answer!"

The strange voice made them freeze instantly, and they hastily turned their heads into the direction it had come from. They spotted McClain slowly approaching them with a gun in his hand.

Bugger! Lucifer narrowed his eyes in fury at the intruder. Quickly realising that there was not enough time or cover to get Chloe out of the water, he pushed themselves off the wall and moved backwards to bring more distance between them and McClain. His eyes switched several times between the face of this man and the gun in his hand. And he silently cursed himself for not having sensed him earlier, for having brought his Chloe in danger.

Chloe was still panting, her body coming down from her arousal that was now mixed with fright, but her mind was already on full alert. She quickly looked around and saw more men walking towards them from out of different directions. "Lucifer!" she whispered into his ear and tensed right away when she spotted one of them carrying a gun as well. ' _Damn!_ ' she thought as she now counted a total of seven of them around the pool. They were not only outnumbered but also had nothing to defend themselves with.

He looked at her alertly, seeing her nodding towards their side and back, and turned his head into the directions, noticing the others now as well. Instantly, he walked to the middle of the pool, bringing as much space between them and the intruders. The water was so deep that it now reached his chin and he lifted Chloe up a little more. He noticed her grip tightening around him at the dangerous situation. "What do you want?" he barked at McClain, protectively holding Chloe closely to himself, his fingers caressing the soft hairs below her hairline to reassure her that she was safe with him.

"Watch you two fuck each other, of course!" McClain countered in a jovial mood, twirling his forefinger, pointing at them. "And then, have a go on her as well," he added after a little pause.

Lucifer felt Chloe's fingers digging into his shoulder at the threat. He glared darkly at McClain and turned his body around to bring her out of this man's sight. "You must be really stupid if you'd thought for one second I would let you touch her!" he spat back, feeling his rage boiling beneath the surface, wanting to break out. Only the fact that he was holding her securely in his arms kept him from going spare.

"Well, either that, or you give me back the disc," McClain countered, completely unperturbed by Lucifer's words, and waltzed around the pool to get his sight back on both of them.

"What disc?" Chloe replied, acting innocently. She felt Lucifer's carotid throbbing beneath the tip of her thumb, telling her how furious he was despite his cool demeanour, and she started caressing his neck, her lips tenderly brushing against his cheek, hoping she could calm him down before he would do something rash.

McClain chuckled at her and sighed loudly. "Chloe, Chloe, Chloe," he singsonged, shaking his head and smiling at her in amusement. "You're really not good at lying, darling." Taking another breath, he elucidated, "You know, in our little community we live after the saying: Mistakes happen, that's just natural. But you have to come out with them right away." A moment of silence fell between them, before he went on, "After you left our little party so abruptly last night, the Jeffersons told me that they had accidentally slipped the little videotaping thing to Lucifer. And, Mark saw you coming out of the basement." He made a pause, creating tension. "Now comes the interesting part. I went down, and guess what was missing?" he asked rhetorically. "The disc from your initiation night," he answered himself with mocked surprise. "I sent Richard over to keep an eye on you, but he came back with an all-clear signal. You two seemed too distracted with yourself to show any real concern about that. So, I asked Amelia, since she was with you, and she swore to me, she didn't take any disc. I believe her -" He halted and stared at them, his eyes narrowed down and his lips pursed to a thin line as he added, "- now! _So_ ," he started, elongating the word, and questioned as if he was talking to little kids, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Chloe and Lucifer were shocked to hear that they had been watched without noticing anything at all. What else had went on under their radar? Chloe silently scolded herself for being so inattentive. But at least McClain didn't know the whole truth of what they had found out. They stared at each other and faintly nodded their agreement. There was no chance of getting out of the pool without getting caught anyway. And since this man only knew that one disc was missing, it was best to stick with that. "We took it," Chloe answered him brusquely.

"Wasn't that easy?" McClain asked, overly friendly, and smiled widely, pleased with himself. "Now, give it back."

"We can't!" Lucifer objected with a deadpan expression. Seeing the man staring angrily at him, he added, boldfaced, "We destroyed it."

"Tut-tut," McClain mumbled reproachfully, having regained his composure surprisingly quickly. "See, my darlings, taking something from us without permission is one thing. But destroying it,-" he halted and pressed his teeth together while sighing and rebukingly shaking his head in the process, before he ended, "-A complete other. I'm sorry, but we really have to punish you for that."

Lucifer chuckled spitefully. "You don't sound sorry at all!" he mocked and instantly felt Chloe's grip tighten around his neck. He looked at her, and her warning glare told him not to provoke the man any further. He silently breathed out his anger and nodded his understanding once. Oh, how he would have preferred to get out of the water and show them who he really was! But with Chloe at his side, he couldn't risk it; not only would she drown if he let go of her, her presence also made him vulnerable to the bullets these cowards most probably would shoot at him.

Ignoring him completely, McClain went on in his cheerful voice. "Tell me, Chloe, we've been watching you for some time now, and I was wondering: What happens when he kisses you with tongue?"

The glare Lucifer sent him was beyond hatred. But he wasn't just furious at this man, he also scolded himself once again for not having seen or felt these men's presence at all. Had he really been that distracted? Had his senses become that dull? For the first time since this undercover operation had started, he felt really at a loss and wished Maze would be here to save their asses. But he knew she wouldn't show up. He'd told her to not interfere under any circumstances, no matter what she would sense from him and she had vowed to follow his orders. They really were on their own here and he, somehow, needed to at least get Chloe out of the line of fire.

"That's none of your business," Chloe retorted angrily and lightly scratched across the hairline on the back of Lucifer's head, bringing him out of his thoughts. She'd felt him tense even further at the word ' _watching_ ' and knew right away, her partner was blaming himself for not spotting these men earlier. But if he was to blame, then she was as well. Because she'd let her guard down, had ignored the undercover training she'd had back then, when they had drilled into them to ' _always cover your partner_ ', to ' _always be aware of your surroundings_ '. But her feelings had gotten in the way, and she'd let herself get distracted. If the situation got out of control, Lucifer would directly put himself between her and these scumbags, she was sure of that. And then, he would get hurt, probably killed. She slightly shook her head, pushing those thoughts to the back of her head. No, she would make sure to get him out of danger first. She just needed a good moment to do so.

McClain tilted his head to one side and shifted on his feet, his expression turning dark again. "If you don't want to tell me, then show me," he ordered sternly. As none of the two in the pool complied with his order, his patience snapped and he yelled at them harshly, "Kiss him!"

Despite the start his voice gave her, Chloe pursed her lips and decisively shook her head. Come hell or high water, she would not risk her partner's life to succumb to this bastard. Gritting her teeth, she was about to snap something back as she felt Lucifer's finger on her chin, gently turning her face towards him. He stared at her with the same expression she'd given him earlier, silently reminding her that it was best to not provoke the man with the gun in hand. She could almost read what he was about to say and vehemently shook her head at him. "I'm not kissing you, Lucifer," she whispered, her anger directly replaced by worry for his safety. If he blacked out, she wouldn't be able to keep his head above the water, and he would drown.

"Shush," Lucifer soothed her and moved his hand up to the back of her head, carefully holding her in place as he swiftly kissed her lips. "Don't worry, love. I can still take them all out even when I'm drugged," he mumbled against her mouth and kissed her dearly again.

"You wish!" she retorted, but the light laugh that left her quickly died down at the apparent danger. She returned the kisses but made sure to keep them shallow.

McClain got more impatient and barked at them once again, "Chloe, if you don't start kissing properly, I will shoot your dear husband and do you myself! So. Get! Going!"

Chloe wanted to fake the deep kiss with Lucifer but right after McClain's threat, Lucifer took her by surprise and pushed his tongue into her mouth. She tried to move her head to the side, to stop him from taking in any of her fluids, but his hand kept her in place while he intensified the kiss, his tongue dancing around hers. The familiar tingle started inside of her again; she tried to push it back down, hating it in that very moment that her body already and so easily reacted to his caress, heating her up. It didn't take long and she felt him panting and his body started to tremble. She wanted to pull back, but Lucifer had her gripped firmly and kissed her even more.

Lucifer didn't know what he was doing. All he could think of was how breathtaking the kiss with her felt. Maybe it was because of the immediate danger they were in, but he couldn't stop his tongue from brushing over hers, or his lips from pressing onto her mouth. It was electrifying, and although he felt himself weaken with every second that passed, the rush that went through him like a storm provided him with a newly found strength he couldn't even describe. Feeling that he was shortly before collapsing, the fear for Chloe's safety took over in him. With all the strength he had, he grabbed her hips, heaved her half out of the water and pushed her towards the wall of the pool. The sheer hope for her being able to grasp the edge was the last thing on his mind before everything went black around him.

"Lucifer!" Chloe cried appalled when she saw him disappear below the surface. She stretched out her arm, hoping to somehow be able to catch him, but something held her back. She tried to struggle free to get to him, completely forgetting that she couldn't even swim, nor realising that already two of the men had jumped into the water, heading for him.

"Chloe! Stop fighting and give me your other arm," a man suddenly said, getting her attention.

She turned her head towards him, looking up with hate-filled eyes, and hissed loudly, "Let go of me!" The worry for her partner was the only thing on her mind, and she wanted nothing but to get to him and help him, no matter how.

"Do you want to drown?" he yelled back, tightening his grip on her arm to not lose her. Luckily, his words made her stop with her struggle and he was able to grab her other arm, too, pulling her out of the water while she stared baffled at him. "What? Did you really think Pat could keep a secret?" he asked rhetorically, winked at her and grabbed firmly around her, dragging her away from the pool.

Finally coming out of her daze, Chloe started struggling again, fighting against the man who further tightened his grip on her. She turned her head back, trying to get a view onto her partner. "Lucifer!" she called his name but could only see his legs looking out from beneath the crowd of men around him. His legs didn't move at all. Was he... dead? Her fear for him doubled and once again she fought against who held her, trying to get free, trying to get back to her partner, trying to get back to Lucifer.

"Don't worry, girl, you're hubby is fine," the man soothed her. "Mark is a medic, he'll take care of him."

"He's a medic?" she quietly repeated in disbelief, briefly looking up at the man before her eyes went back to Lucifer. She saw McClain approaching her, a cheeky grin on his face but holding his gun at chest height when he stopped in front of her. She quickly calculated her odds to grab for the weapon but realised that he, unfortunately, stood too far away for her to use the moment of surprise.

"Lucifer is fine! He'd just swallowed some water and is a little dizzy," McClain informed her cheerily and then took a step forward, getting dangerously close. He pressed the gun barrel into her breast, his finger on the trigger, as he warned her gravelly, "But if you don't stop struggling, or try to do anything stupid, James will blow his brains out. Understood?"

Chloe exhaled a breath of relief she didn't know she'd been holding at the information about her partner. She hastily nodded her understanding. No, she wouldn't do anything to put Lucifer in more danger than he already was. She remained completely still as McClain stepped around to the man holding her and put the gun into his trousers on his back.

When McClain walked back to Lucifer, he stopped halfway and turned back towards them, addressing the man next to her, "Richard, get her inside!" The man nodded and pulled her towards the terrace door.

"No! Lucifer!" Chloe cried, the worry for Lucifer almost overpowered her sanity. She didn't want to leave him there all by himself, defenceless, not knowing what these maniacs would do to him.

"Calm down!" Richard whispered into her ear. "We won't hurt anyone of you. Don't worry. We just want some reparation sex." He winked, shifted his hold on her to get a better grip, and dragged her into the house.

' _Won't hurt_ ', it shot through her mind and she shook her head in disbelief. These people really had lost all sanity if they thought that threatening or forcing someone to have sex with them wouldn't hurt. Richard brought her into the sitting room and pushed her down into the chair. He grabbed the blanket that lay on the couch and tossed it at her. For a moment, Chloe thought about taking him down, grabbing the gun on his back and running out to her partner's aid. But she couldn't see Lucifer from here. She didn't know what they were doing to him, or what they would do if they'd see her back in the garden, and risking his life was out of option. She saw Richard staring at her and shaking his head as if he'd read her mind. "I won't do anything!" she quickly assured him, her voice low but filled with the anger she felt for this man.

"Dry yourself! You'll get a cold," he ordered in a down-to-earth voice, and stepped back, pulling out the gun, taking a seat on the couch and alternately looking between her and the door, while carelessly letting the gun dangle between his legs.

Chloe huffed and shook her head, doing what he'd told her. "Suddenly concerned for my wellbeing?" she countered sardonically.

Richard studied her for a moment, his features softened, and he replied calmly, "We're no bad people."

She chuckled at his words, spitting scornfully, "That's what you think!" When she saw him fixing his eyes on the door, she quickly followed his gaze. In an instant, all her anger was gone, replaced by nothing but worry when the other men entered the room, dragging Lucifer along, only held up by one of them to each side. "Lucifer!" she cried out and sprang up, her first instinct was to run directly up to him but McClain glared at her, holding his gun up.

"Stay back!" he ordered gravelly and gestured two of his minions to remove the couch table. They complied right away and the two holding Lucifer upright lay him carefully down onto the now free space.

Chloe looked at McClain, hating it to no end that she had to wait until he waved at her with his gun before she could rush to her partner. "Lucifer," she whispered, relieved that she could wrap her arms back around him, but also worried that he seemed to be barely conscious. She sat down in his lap, her legs on both his sides, carrying her weight. She carefully clasped her arms around his neck and pulled him up. Tightening the grip of one of her arms around him to keep him upright, her free hand gently caressed his cheek and through his hair. "How are you feeling?" she asked quietly. Her concern grew further as his only answer was a meek grin. Had the water caused some damage to his brain? Normally, he should have been back to his old strength by now, but instead, his arms hung feebly to his sides and his lids fell close over and over again. She grabbed the blanket from the chair, drying off his face and upper body as much as she was able to. Then, she observed him carefully: There were no new drops forming on his forehead, indicating that he wasn't sweating, and his breath was low but even. He didn't look like he was still intoxicated by her, but he didn't look fine, either. Had it been the drowning, or had they done something else to him? Chloe wasn't sure and looked down on him. His body seemed fine, neither beaten nor slashed. So what was it? Worried, she pulled him closer, resting his head against her neck and running her hand over his back in a soothing manner. If these men had hurt him, she swore to God, they would pay for it!

McClain let himself drop into the chair, and he watched the couple in front of him for a bit with great interest. Two of his other men sat down on the couch and the other chair in the room, while the remaining three leant against the rear wall, watching the show from afar. "Let's get back to business," he suddenly announced with a deep, calm voice, immediately getting Chloe's attention.

"What do you want?" she spat at him, slightly shifting on Lucifer's lap to place his head on her other shoulder, and, thereby, bringing him out of McClain's direct sight.

"I've already said so, my dear," McClain answered, his voice as nonchalantly as always. "You took the disc without permission and destroyed it. So, you have to be punished for those two misdeeds."

Chloe narrowed her eyes at him, quietly growling before she countered, "Forcing us to sex and secretly videotaping it are two misdeeds as well. I'd say, we're even!"

McClain shook his head, rolling his eyes. "Sweetheart, we've already been there!" he replied with a bored voice. "We have rules here and you have to obey to them. And if not, you'll have to leave us!"

"How? In a body bag?" she retorted and glared at him, enraged. His absence of any reaction except for the light smile that curled up the corners of his mouth brought her blood to the boil. She gritted her teeth and would have forgotten all her self-preservation and sprung up to McClain to make him pay for everything if it wasn't for Lucifer's limp body in her arms. She needed to protect him, and therefore, she had to keep herself under control. There were only three hours left, she reminded herself. They just needed to survive that long before backup would be here, and she promised herself that she would do anything possible to keep Lucifer alive.

McClain shifted in the chair, making himself comfortable. He let one of his legs dangle casually over the armchair, while his hand holding the gun hung loosely over the other one. "Now, come on! Give us a little show," he demanded and whirled around with his finger, underlining his words.

Chloe stared at him, flabbergasted. "What? He's barely conscious!" she objected, protectively hugging her partner firmer.

"He's your husband, and you're a hot woman. I'm sure he doesn't mind," McClain countered, grinning wolfishly at her.

"In America, this still is called rape!" she blared at him, her eyes furious with the rage she felt for this man. He really was out of his mind. And once again, she got reminded at the forlornness they've found themselves in.

McClain shrugged his shoulders, making very clear to her that he didn't really care about the laws. "Well, then do it with us," he suggested casually. "You could, let's say, give three of us head and we'll leave. You can even choose who you'll suck." He leered at her and spread his legs a bit, presenting her a direct view of his crotch.

Chloe wrinkled her nose and looked away in disgust. Under no circumstances would she touch this creep! Not even in her thoughts! If there really was no other choice to get out of this situation, she would do it to three of them. As long as this meant that Lucifer was safe; and as long as she could keep her nausea down. But, no, not this man, this monster! This would be like a submission to his sick games, and she couldn't do that. Her inner rant was suddenly interrupted when she heard a quietly whispered "Me!" near her ear. She turned around and saw Lucifer grinning at her, his eyes half open.

"Take me!" he repeated again, not moving his sight away from her. He took a breath and demanded, his voice a little louder, "No one touches my wife!" The others in the room started to chuckle at his order, but he didn't care. The only thing that was important was the woman right in front of him.

"Lucifer, you can't even sit straight!" she countered appalled, but also felt relief washing over her that he was responsive again.

Lucifer moved his arms up her back, slowly, letting it look like he was barely able to keep them above the ground. He grabbed her shirt and pulled her into him, his lips moving directly over her ear and he whispered so silently that she was the only one understanding it, "I'm faking." He bit his lip to prevent himself from grinning widely. Right after they had pulled him out of the water and he was coughing for air, he also realised they were more concerned about him than considered him a threat. And that was the moment his plan had popped up into his head. They didn't know what exact effect her kisses had on him. It practically could be anything. Thus, he feigned being weak, and had let himself get pulled up and carried back inside the house. The concern for her was the only thought on his mind when he couldn't see her for a brief moment. But he'd overheard McClain's words spoken to her; had heard how he'd ordered this wimp to get her inside. He'd only wished Chloe would have taken this dumbass out as soon as she was alone with him, but quickly figured she wouldn't risk his life. Therefore, he kept on playing the half-unconscious husband, instead of showing them what was inside of him, or rather who. He had to make absolutely sure she was out of danger before he would start his real game with these guys.

Chloe leant her head back and stared at him with a mixture of surprise and bafflement. This was all just a show? For what? Scaring her to death? Without attracting attention, she stole a glance at the men around them and finally realised that what he did was actually a very clever move. Not only did McClain lay halfway in the chair, also the others looked like they spent no single thought at being alert or on guard. The two guys on the couch lay there sprawled out, two of the three guys leaning against the wall were silently talking to each other and the third one was even playing on his phone. Only the one sitting in the other chair spent half his attention on them, but with one of his hands already in his trousers, she doubted that he would be quick enough with jumping up and holding them back when they made a move towards the door. She actually had a chance to pull Lucifer up and get him out of the room. She just needed to use the moment of surprise and he would be out of danger...

Pulling her back to him and out of her thoughts, Lucifer whispered further into her ear, "I distract, you call backup."

Chloe shook her head vehemently, not believing what he'd just told her, and definitely not wanting to obey him. No! She would _not_ let him down here alone with these men and their two guns. Faking or not! Even if all his strength was back again, he could get hurt! He could die! Under no circumstances would she risk that while bringing herself to safety. She clenched her teeth and pressed her lips to a thin line, staring at him with adamant determination.

Lucifer sighed. He knew that look on her face all too well. "Chloe, for once in your life, do as I say!" he told her insistently, his eyes almost pleading her. He didn't care right now if he'd blown his cover with his steady voice. He wanted her safe. He _needed_ her safe!

Someone in the room cheered "listen to your hubby!", but she didn't care to look who it was. She couldn't keep her eyes off of his. She couldn't leave him! She shouldn't! How was he supposed to defend himself? He alone against seven? But she also knew, they had no other choice. One of them needed to get out of this room and call for backup. Even if this meant the death warrant for the other one. There was more at stake than simply their lives. Uninformed, the police wouldn't be here before 3 a.m. This was enough time for these monsters to find her computer, destroy the evidence, flee the area, kill them both... it went through her head. She'd rather comply and give them what they wanted. What was oral sex with three of them if she could be certain that this would keep her partner, Lucifer, safe? But she also knew that he would never let that happen. He would defend her, her life, her body, her dignity, regardless of his own safety. Tears welled up in her eyes and she quickly squinted them shut, swallowing down the bulk of emotions that crawled up on her. What was she supposed to do?

Lucifer smiled warmly at her. Seeing her fighting with her inner self, tugged at his heartstrings. Leaving him wasn't easy for her. She didn't believe him that he was the devil, and he couldn't even hold this against her. After all, she'd seen him bled. Still, he would do anything to keep her safe, even if this meant going back down to hell again. He leant into her and kissed her dearly, bringing her out of her thoughts once again.

Chloe opened her eyes and saw the warmth in his expression. The hot drops of salty water ran down her cheeks as she nodded, making clear that she agreed to his plan. She sobbed loudly when she saw him only smiling relieved at her, and she locked her lips back on his, ignoring the cheers from somewhere around them. She felt Lucifer's hands moving from her back to her hips and knew what was about to come. His body tensed beneath her, and she made herself ready.

Then, all of a sudden, Lucifer sprang up, pulling her with him, and pushed her towards the door. The others were taken by surprise and Chloe used this second to hasten to the door, opening it. The others sprang up as well, the two on the couch were the first ones, but Lucifer had already blocked their way, holding them back. He threw his fists against them, even throwing one through the room. Shouts were heard, and Chloe was almost out of the door when suddenly a shot resounded loudly through the room, followed by her partner's outcry.

"Lucifer!" Chloe cried for him and turned around, about to get back.

Lucifer still stood between her and the men, his body was throbbing in pain, but he didn't care. He grabbed McClain's arm who wanted to run after Chloe, pulling him back, before he turned his head, and yelled at her, "Run!"

The startle at his voice shot like a hot flash through her body. She froze, quickly nodded at him, and finally obeyed. Turning around, she fled the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Another shot was heard and fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. She ran across the hallway and up the stairs as fast as her feet could carry her. There was only one chance left for Lucifer to survive, but she had to be quick.

Lucifer smiled, relieved that he finally had her out of harm's way. Then he turned towards the others, an evil grin on his lips as he let his fiery red eyes flash up. Oh, how he'd enjoy to finally give them back what they deserved!

Chloe hastily grabbed the necklace that was lying on her bedside table, pressing the sender with all strength she could bring up. Then, she grabbed beneath the little table, pulling out her gun and running back down. Screams could still be heard and she hasted back to the sitting room, imploringly hoping it wasn't too late. Suddenly, everything went silent, and she grew stiff. Her hand was already on the door handle, but she wasn't able to pull it down. Her greatest nightmare scenario went through her head. Still, she couldn't stop now. She had to go in there again. Her partner counted on her. Lucifer needed her! And there was still a chance that he was alive. Swallowing, she nodded to herself in encouragement, pressed down the handle and pushed the door wide open. "L.A.P.D. Everybody freeze!" she screamed her well-known sentence, and was startled again at the sight that presented itself in front of her: Three of the men were lying unconsciously on the ground, their limbs twisted in painful angles; one was holding both his arms above his head, whimpering, and rocking back and forth; one was hiding in the corner, crying "we had no choice" and begging for mercy; one was sitting on the ground, blankly staring up at her, not deigning to look at the gun lying next to him; and McClain was sitting in the chair, giggling like a maniac.

She quickly kicked the gun away, before she rushed to Lucifer who was kneeling in the middle of the room, his arms pressed on his belly. "Lucifer!" she called his name and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him and kissing his temple. "You OK?" Her heart did a somersault as she looked down on him. There was no blood! No blood!

"Yeah," he assured her with a big smile on his face. The pain where the bullets had hit him came equally from his front and back. Knowing he needed her support, he tilted his head back, briefly snuggling into her shoulder when he ordered gently, "Help me up."

Chloe did as she was told and grasped around him from under his arm, pulling him up. He swayed when he was back on his feet and she kept her hold on him to steady him. Well, she wouldn't let go of him even if he was perfectly fine, she silently admitted but quickly pushed that thought to the back of her head. "What happened?" she asked, confused, and once again looked around, staring at the others in disbelief, before she fixed her sight back on her partner.

"I did!" he boasted and grinned smugly at her, pushing out his chest, proud of himself.

McClain's giggle got louder, turning into a laughing fit and he held his trembling belly, almost rolling off the chair. "Lucifer, he's... he's...," he stated through laughs.

Chloe stared at him baffled. Was he... nuts? "Yes, he's my partner! Now raise your hands where I can see them!" she ordered sternly, but innerly knew that this man wasn't in any condition to comply with her command.

"Lucifer, he's... he's...," McClain repeated, and this time his laughing became so uncontrollable that he fell down onto the floor with a loud puff. "He's... he's... the... and you... you're...," he went on but everything else died down with his laughter.

Chloe turned her attention back to her partner, staring at him with a frown. She instantly got reminded at how Jimmy Barnes had reacted when she'd visited him in the mental ward. What did Lucifer do to them? His only reaction was the smug grin that seemed to be plastered on his face now, and a shrug of his shoulders. Her frown deepened, and she was about to question him on that, as the sound of rotor blades resounded above them. She tilted her head backwards, staring up at the ceiling as if she could see through the roof, listening to the distinct noise. Then her head turned back to the door and she stared at it when muffled sounds of orders being barked could be heard from outside.

"Seems the cavalry has arrived," Lucifer commented nonchalantly, his head quickly turning around them to check if the police were already coming inside before he lowered his gaze down to her again and smiled warmly.

"Yeah, seems so," she answered, eyeing him warily. She still couldn't wrap her head around what had happened in this room. But slowly the voice inside her head, telling her ' _it doesn't matter_ ', got the upper hand. She nodded to herself, silently agreeing with that voice. It was true! These men were down, and Lucifer was fine, well, according to the circumstances, she remarked and moved her thumb up to his lip, wiping away the little trail of blood that ran down his chin where his lip was chapped. She knew he had taken some very hard blows to his head and body, she could already recognise the outline of a bruise forming around his eye, and was simply relieved that nothing worse had happened to him.

Her thumb was still resting on his chin, and Lucifer moved his hand up, carefully encompassing her hand. He turned his head and pressed a tender kiss into her palm. Then, he lowered their hands down, pressing it gently onto the place above his heart. His eyes didn't leave hers the whole time, and he sighed. "It's over," he whispered softly, ignoring the several police officers rushing into the room and barking orders.

"Yeah! It's over," Chloe confirmed silently, staring up at him and swallowing down the lump in her throat. The S.W.A.T. teams really were fast.

/-/

Chloe tightened the warm blanket around her once more, waiting for Anderson to end his conversation with one of the team leaders. He'd suggested her to go and get properly dressed first, but she didn't want to leave Lucifer out of her sight, knowing that he was only a couple of steps away, inside the ambulance, getting treated. She heard Anderson's low "alright" mumbled to the man he spoke to before he patted the man's back and walked back over to her.

"So far, the other teams have arrested all the residents. Only two of your neighbours are still missing. The Grays," Anderson informed her without any emotion.

Chloe nodded and sighed. "Amelia and Kelly are good people. They attended in something horrible, but they are the most likely ones to come clean with everything." She paused and looked into space, collecting her thoughts. "They are here somewhere. Probably hiding in fear," she explained with a low voice, ignoring the worry that crawled up her spine. Her head turned back to the detective and she asked him directly, "Can you tell some of your men to make another search round?"

"Already did," he confirmed, nodding, and flashed her a brief smile. Silence fell between them. It was visible all over his face of how much he struggled to voice his next thought. He took a deep breath, and stated sincerely, "Thanks for finding the killers of my sister, and her partner."

"You're welcome," Chloe replied warmly, and sympathetically patted his lower arm. "I couldn't find any proof of the other murders so far. But I'm sure, they are on the discs back up there in McClain's house," she went on, and gestured towards the house that stuck out from the trees around it.

Anderson nodded his understanding. "Garcia already informed me about what you'd told him on the phone." Then he shook his head, revealing the doubt he still had. "I still can't believe they all attended in this." He moved his finger around, pointing towards various houses before he looked back at her. Seeing the look on her face, his expression changed to that of concern. "You OK?"

Chloe took a deep breath, thinking about it. Was she OK? She felt relieved that they had the killers, and that they got out of the recent danger without major damage. But her partner got hurt. And she felt pain inside of her as well, albeit for a completely different reason. Getting aware that she still hadn't answered, she looked up at him, nodded assuringly, and replied, "Will be."

Anderson nodded once to give her the non-verbal ' _alright_ ' and took some steps in the other direction, his sight fixed on her before he turned his head and looked up to the house on the hill. Turning his gaze back to her, he asked casually, "You coming with us for the scanning?"

"Sure!" Chloe confirmed decisively. "I just want to check in with my partner first," she let him know, pointing over her shoulder at the ambulance vehicle.

"Do that!" Anderson replied, once again flashing her a quick smile, and walked over to the team that was waiting for his orders.

Chloe turned around, stepping towards the van, and watched Lucifer, lying on the stretcher in a half sitting position, flirting with the EMT.

"Chloe!" he instantly called out when he spotted her, his smile going up to his ears. The EMT looked briefly at her, before she turned her attention back to the IV she fixed on her patient's arm. "Could you give us a moment?" he purred at the woman who flashed him a smile, nodded and quickly stepped out of the van.

Chloe pressed her lips together to keep herself from grinning like a loon. ' _Lucifer and his women,'_ she thought, slightly shaking her head in amusement, and gazed after the EMT. She felt relieved. Seeing such a familiar reaction gave her the feeling that everything was alright again. And she liked that feeling. She turned her attention back to her partner, seeing his cheeky smile directed at her, and smirked in reply. Stepping into the vehicle, she took place on the bench next to his stretcher. "How are you feeling?" she asked him, concerned.

"Great!" he replied genuinely.

His smile caused little wrinkles around his eyes and Chloe knew he wasn't faking it or just acting strong. "So the pain medication is already working, huh," she commented and gripped her blanket tighter; not because she felt cold, but to keep herself from reaching out to him and caress his face. The sting operation was over now. They were partners again. And that meant she had no reason to just stroke his face or hair. At least not here. Not now. Not before everything between them was settled.

Lucifer shook his head and relaxed against the backrest, fully taking in the pleasurable sight of her. "I denied painkillers," he informed her casually and took a deep breath. He didn't need them. He was in a too good mood to think about easing the ache. Now, everything was back to normal. He was back to normal. And he wanted to celebrate this, with her, dancing, their bodies closely pressed against each other, whirling around to soft tunes until the dawn of the day... He enjoyed the pleasant feeling this thought stirred up inside of him.

Chloe's eyes almost sprang out of their holes. He got shot at, twice, and still refused medication? "Then why are you grinning? You should be in pain," she retorted, her heart filled with worry and sympathy for him.

"Oh, I am in pain, believe me, dear," he countered smugly and looked down on her. Her bare legs peeped out from under the blanket, and he automatically wetted his lips as his mind wandered back to the moment in the pool, before they got interrupted. "But I'm immortal again!" he added cockily, pushing the memory down to not get too distracted, and flashed her the biggest toothy grin he could manage.

Chloe rolled her eyes and shook her head, smirking at his typical words. She tilted her head, giving him her non-verbal ' _Really?!_ '

Seeing the doubt in her eyes, Lucifer straightened himself and boasted with pride, "They shot at me, and the bullets just bounced off." He nodded and grinned cockily, challenging her to try and reason that away.

She sighed, stifling the chuckle that wanted to escape her throat to not encourage him any further in his delusion. "That's because they used rubber bullets," she explained to him matter-of-factly. Lucifer looked sceptically at her, shaking his head in disbelief. So she simply grabbed the blanket that was tightly wrapped around him, pulled it down his chest, and silently pointed towards the big bruise that had formed on the lower part of his belly. "I bet you have another one of that on your back," she commented dryly.

Lucifer stared down at himself, baffled. "How?" he asked, perplexed, and instantly winced in pain as he brushed over the marks with his finger. "But they weren't there before," he whined, disappointed.

"Bruises need a little while to form," she pointed out in a soothing voice, and pulled the blanket back up, tucking him in before her hand wandered up into his hair, lightly caressing it. When she got aware of what exactly she was doing, she quickly pulled her hand back. ' _Damn! Stop doing that, he's just your partner!_ ' she silently rebuked herself, and shifted back in her seat to bring more space between them.

Lucifer sighed, discouraged, his lips pointing southwards. "I really thought...," he started but trailed off. Why did they do that? Using rubber bullets instead of real ones. This didn't make any sense! Especially not with the many threats to end their lives if they wouldn't succumb to their sick games. This rather looked like these people were nothing but a big bunch of sex-driven wannabes instead of the truly evil kind that earth could offer. Bugger! He'd really thought that somehow he'd regain his power of invulnerability against human weapons.

"Well, if it helps, you're my hero of the day," Chloe praised him warmly, bringing him back into the here and now.

The smile instantly went back on Lucifer's face, settling down as if it had never left his features in the first place and wiping away the sad thoughts. "Does this mean you'll keep me company and help me recover?" he asked, suggestively wiggling his eyebrows, and his mood raised further when he saw her smiling at him. He was about to tell her all the things he wanted to do with her, up there in his penthouse, when she suddenly shook her head, declining his offer. Not letting himself get discouraged by her gesture, he stated, hoping to bring her thought into the right direction as well, "As you might remember, I have a little pool, too. We could continue from where we've been interrupted earlier."

"Lucifer," she started and the tone of her word made him sigh. "I'm sorry, but you really need to rest. And so do I. It's barely one in the morning."

"We could rest together," he quickly suggested, trying to make this thought tempting for her. "Snuggled up next to each other. I've grown quite fast to that little comfort, my dear wife."

"You mean _ex_ -wife," Chloe teased him.

Lucifer feigned hurt. "You're breaking up with me right after we caught the killer?" He grinned at her, but his eyes showed the sorrow he felt at the little word, painting his face in one big contrast.

"Seems so, my dear," she answered heavy-hearted. She looked away from him, slowly breathing out the air from her lungs and mentally calling herself to order. There was no point in letting herself get overpowered by her emotions now, or worse, start crying in front of her partner, she reminded herself, before her gaze turned back to him.

He'd seen the look in her eyes. Yes, she was teasing him, but so far she refused any of his offers. As if she tried to find a reason to not spend time with him anymore. The fear that she'd changed her mind about all the things she'd told him the day before crawled up on him, but he quickly pushed it down again. He wasn't the type to give up now. No, he was the devil! If anyone was persistent, then it was him! "Are you staying with me then, till we get back?" Lucifer wanted to know, suddenly completely serious.

Chloe sucked in her lower lip, not liking it at all that she had to deny this plea as well. But she still had her job to do. "I'm going to show Anderson where the discs are, and then I make sure that we get our stuff delivered."

"Argh!" Lucifer harrumphed, upset, and let his head fall back. Why was it always that a pestering detective got in between them? he thought and narrowed his eyes, annoyed, staring at the ceiling of the van. "Can't Anderson do that alone?" he countered and was startled at his own gruffly tone. Quickly, he looked back to her to make sure he hadn't hurt her feelings, and let out a relieved sigh when he found her still smiling at him, even if it was hardly visible.

"No," she answered barely above a whisper, shaking her head. She took a deep breath and went on in a steady voice, "Besides, you're going straight to the hospital. They have to take an X-ray of your torso to make sure you have no internal damage."

"I'm fine! I'm the devil!" he quickly retorted, and flashed her a smug smile.

"Lucifer!" she called out, making clear that she was serious. She leant forward and placed her hand on his shoulder, silently begging him to stop joking around.

For a moment, the feeling of her fingers softly pressing against him made him stiff like a poker. He stared down at her hand, lightly wetting his lips and pressing them together before he looked up at her and into her sea blue eyes. Without a word, he took out his hand from beneath the blanket and gently stroke the back of her hand. Then he wrapped his fingers around hers, lowering their hands down and lightly swaying them from side to side. "Would you feel better if I had a check-up?" he asked softly, completely sincere.

"Yes!" she confirmed and gently squeezed his hand.

Lucifer grinned cheekily, carefully pulling at her arm, waiting till she shifted forward a little in her seat, so he could easily place their hands on his chest. "See, you're worried for me," he commented cockily, pushing down the load of joy he felt inside at the fact that he was still in the game.

"Of course I am!" Chloe affirmed truthfully. "We are partners!"

Both his eyebrows shot up to his hairline and he stared at her puzzled. If he was honest with himself, that wasn't what he'd expected to hear from her; or to be more exact, he'd _hoped_ to hear. "Just partners?" he asked, his voice a mixture of doubt and sorrow.

"Well," Chloe started but stopped right away as the emotions inside of her went rollercoaster. She leant back and looked down at their still-joint hands, how their fingers caressed each other without either of them even having registered it; how soothing this little touch felt. She ran her tongue over her lower lip and nodded lightly before she admitted, looking back up to him, "Maybe we're a little more than that."

"I like 'a little more than that'," he agreed, smirking, and brought their hands up to his lips, tenderly kissing her knuckles. His mood directly changed back to that of cheerfulness.

Chloe's heart skipped a beat at this little gesture. She felt her cheeks flush and quickly turned away, unable to hide her smile from spreading all over her face this time. Taking a deep breath, she called herself back to order and looked back at him, just to realise that he had watched her the whole time. Her cheeks instantly turned into a deep red.

Lucifer didn't tease her on her reaction. He could relate how she felt because he felt exactly the same. All he wanted was to lean forwards and lock his lips on hers, but he knew, he couldn't just do that. They weren't alone anymore. There were people all over the place, some were even from the precinct and he knew her reputation was sacred for her. "Will you come and visit me at LUX today? After you have slept in, of course," he asked earnestly.

Chloe smiled sadly and shook her head. "Today I will spend the whole day with my daughter." A moment of silence fell onto them, before she suggested, "I could stop by tomorrow."

He nodded firmly, his lips curling back up. "Tomorrow sounds good."

"Good," she repeated quietly. She rummaged in her brain to somehow fill the next moment of awkward silence between them, but couldn't find anything to say. All that popped up in her mind was that Anderson still waited for her outside to get the discs, and so the need to leave the van increased with each passing second. "Well, I better get going then." She wanted to pull her hand away but felt his grip on her tighten. She looked back at him, slightly confused.

He didn't really know what to say, or how to express what he wanted from her. He just knew that he didn't want her to leave. Once again, she carefully pulled on her hand, and he stared at her, but strictly kept himself from shaking his head or pulling her into him. No, he needed to ask her first. But how? All of a sudden, a sentence from out of the marriage book shot into his mind, from the chapter about kids, of all things. He'd read that only out of pure boredom. But still, this sentence really came in handy right now. He took a deep breath and asked her quietly, "Could I get a good night kiss?"

That his question took her by surprise was the understatement of the year. And she had all her hands full with keeping the millions of butterflies from running through her body and tickling her. She bit her lip, her eyes smiled at him and she nodded slightly before she stood up and leant over to kiss his lips.

The kiss was light and tender, and she was about to pull back when she felt his hand in her hair, gripping the back of her head and gently pushing her back down on his lips. His tongue trailed along her lip line, requesting entry, and Chloe quickly granted it. To hell with worry! He was already in the ambulance van, with two EMTs outside. They would help if anything went wrong anyhow, she told herself and simply gave into the pleasurable feeling of his caress and touch on her body.

She didn't know how long they've been kissing until she recognised that he was trembling beneath her and his body was resting against the stretcher for support. His hand didn't keep her in place any longer and eventually, she pulled back, looking at him with concern. But it quickly vanished when she saw his delighted smile.

"Thanks! I really needed that," Lucifer replied and briefly brushed over her blanket before he rested his hand back over his chest.

"We'll see each other tomorrow, OK?" Chloe assured him and smiled at his determined nod. "Have a good rest," she told him, quickly kissing him again, and stepped out of the van, beckoning over the EMT.

The EMT nodded at Chloe before she stepped back into the van, checking on her patient. She instantly got concerned when she saw his dilated pupils, the sweat, and his increased heart rate on the monitor. Quickly, she checked his vitals. "Sir, how are you feeling?"

"Great!" Lucifer repeated his answer from before and looked over to Chloe.

The EMT used a little flashlight to check his pupils' reaction, frowning at their absence. "Did you take any medication?" she asked him, perplexed, and turned her head towards Chloe. "Ma'am, did you give him something?" She saw Chloe shaking her head and turned her attention back to her patient, informing him, "You look like you're on drugs."

"Well, sort of," he replied nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.

"Mr Morningstar, you can't be serious! You've taken some very serious hits to both your head and abdomen. You shouldn't have taken something without permission," the EMT scolded him sternly.

"What shall I say, doctor," he cajoled, voicing her deepest desire, and then fixed his eyes on Chloe. "This drug is much too sweet to give up on," he explained and winked at Chloe, chuckling lightly as he saw her blush.

"We need to get you to the hospital. Now!" the EMT stated loudly and looked back to Chloe.

Chloe nodded her understanding and grabbed one of the doors, pulling it close. She was about to close the second when suddenly Lucifer piped up again, his voice sounding urgent. "Wait a minute. Who'll get my car home?"

"I'm sure Anderson will bring it," she replied with a grin.

Lucifer's eyes got big in bewilderment and fear before he narrowed them down. "He better not makes a scratch in my Corvette!" he told her warningly.

Chloe chuckled, and without any reply, closed the second door as well, banging against the door twice, to signal the driver that he could drive off.

/-/

She didn't like it!

Not at all!

She'd already made herself cosy on the couch, with her daughter snuggled up to her, ready to watch the movie when the call came, ordering her back into the precinct. And Chloe was still miffed when she thought back at it. It should have been her day off today after she had helped clear the community, get all the residents arrested and off to the police station, and had guided Anderson and his team to the little basement office to get all the discs, and that before three in the morning. She deserved that day off! But no! Her Lieutenant had to call her back in, talking about something very urgent that couldn't wait till the next day. It better was!

At least she was able to sleep till ten, before Dan had dropped Trixie off and the two of them had a lovely second, or in her case, first breakfast with pancakes and orange juice. The whole day had been perfect with just her daughter and herself. Her little monkey even kept her from thinking about her partner. Well, except for that one time when she was in the shower, and that one time when she had to change her shirt because Trixie had smeared her chocolate hands on it, or that one time her mind drifted off...

Chloe quickly shook her head out of her thoughts when she reached the office. The quicker she got this over with, the quicker she could get back to Trixie, and the cheaper the babysitter would be, who she could get last minute and who wanted the double price for the inconvenience. Why did Maze need to be out of town today? she asked herself and huffed quietly. Anyway! Back to business, Chloe called herself to order and knocked on Monroe's door. "Come in!" she heard her boss call, and opened the door, stepping inside, and closed it behind her again.

Monroe gestured her to take a seat in front of her desk, and an instant cold shiver ran down Chloe's spine as she spotted the look on her boss's face. She knew that look. Monroe always had it when something had gone wrong. Like the one time a suspect had killed himself in their holding cell, or that one time they'd lost four of their police officers to a mass shooter. She squinted her eyes and silently pleaded that it had nothing to do with her recent case. But knowing the odds, she knew she wasn't that lucky.

"Congratulations on solving the case so quickly," Monroe praised her without showing any emotion.

Chloe nodded, and added directly, "Thanks! But it was only thanks to Lucifer that we managed it that fast." She'd attentively observed the woman opposite to her, and innerly winced when she saw the woman's mask crumble for a second, revealing how distraught she actually was.

Monroe took a low breath and cleared her throat, before she asked, keeping her voice nonchalant while her eyes fixed a spot on her desk. "How is Mr Morningstar?"

Chloe searched in her head for suitable words. Being back in the precinct with her boss now, she couldn't use all the descriptions that shot into her head right away, knowing they all were too inappropriate to voice them in front of her superior. "He is... tough," she eventually chose and mentally patted her shoulder. "Recovering quite fast from the hits. We were just glad that the backup was there so quickly, preventing worse from happening." She stopped, not wanting to continue with the words that now rushed into her mind, but she couldn't stop her mouth from blubbering them out, "I mean, I barely pressed that button and they were there in an instant. As if they had waited for our signal right outside the community..." she trailed off, knowing that it was better to keep her mouth shut and not push her luck.

Monroe barely listened to what her detective had said, as her mind was already occupied with something else. Something she still refused to understand. In any way. She nodded absent-mindedly while she took a file from out of her desk drawer and placed it in front of her.

Chloe saw that her boss tensed up and unintentionally tensed up herself. Normally, this woman was as cool as the north pole, and seeing her obviously having trouble with something set off all her inner alarms; she silently prepared for the worst.

"Well, about that," Monroe started and realised that she did have listened to her detective's words, after all. "You didn't know, but the reason they were so fast was because Garcia had informed them as soon as the men approached the swimming pool."

"Excuse me?" Chloe asked perplexed, both her eyebrows shot upwards. How could Garcia know when these men had approached the pool?

Monroe took a deep breath, held it for a second and then breathed it out through her pursed lips, calming herself in the process and providing herself with another moment to collect her thoughts. What she was about to say wouldn't be easy. Not just because of what she'd seen. But also because she knew her detective had always been a very private person, and that's why in the first place she had agreed with Garcia to keep this little information hidden from her. But now she had no other choice than to reveal it to her. "The house had been prepared for the sting operation. We knew you were in great danger with a killer on the loose in a community we had no access to. And we knew you were on your own when you investigated the other houses. But with already two detectives down, we, at least, wanted to make sure you're safe inside your house. Therefore, we installed cameras in each room and the garden."

It took a moment for Chloe to process the words, but when the penny finally dropped, her face went beet-red. "You've watched us?" she cried out, a little too loud for her liking. She didn't know what to say next. Her emotions quickly changed from anger to embarrassment, to relief as the memories washed over her.

"Not exactly," Monroe quickly tossed in, stopping her detective's inner rant. "Garcia and Anderson did." When Chloe looked up, she explained to her, "We didn't want to tell you because we feared you wouldn't act naturally around each other when you'd be aware that you were filmed." Monroe saw her detective getting ready to explode and she quickly added, "To keep your privacy, it was only him and Anderson who monitored the footage. Anderson took over half the day, while Garcia watched the nights, and they overwrote each day. We only wanted to keep an eye on you and interfere in case it got critical." Swallowing down the lump in her throat she ended with, "We didn't want to lose a second pair of detectives."

"Oh! My! God!" Chloe exclaimed and took a deep breath, her face now red as a tomato. The thoughts in her head ran a mile per minute until they cleared out and left only one thought behind. She took another deep breath, needing confirmation on what she was about to ask, "No one else had seen that we," she stopped. The words just didn't want to pass her lips, so she quickly changed them, "What we... did... there?"

"No!" Monroe affirmed and her concern settled back on her face.

This was beyond embarrassing, Chloe thought and imploringly wished a hole would open up and swallow her down. She shook her head in disbelief. Her mind just didn't want to process all those things her boss had said, but eventually, her brain formed the connections. ' _Wait a minute_!' it suddenly shot through her mind. Monroe neither looked indignant nor embarrassed herself. She rather looked like she'd seen a ghost, or worse, and this definitely didn't add up to what she'd told her. Furthermore, she gripped that file in her hands with too much force, Chloe realised, and looked back up, warily staring at her.

"Garcia handed me some pictures," Monroe answered her detective's unspoken question. "He was-," she halted, searching for a suitable word, "concerned." She halted again and took a deep breath. "He wanted me to decide what to do with them," she explained and shoved the file towards Chloe. "I want _you_ to decide." After another pause, she elucidated further, "When you tell me, everything was... is... and will be fine, then I instantly forget what's on them. But if not," she trailed off, still overwhelmed at the thought. And that after just a brief glimpse at them! She didn't know what to say and pleadingly hoped her detective would take that decision away from her and she could go back to pretend the world was a freaking but sane place.

Chloe eyed her sceptically. Yes, the words her boss had used were perfect English, but she didn't understand them in the slightest. They didn't make any sense to her and especially didn't she understand the reaction those so-called pictures had caused in her lieutenant. She sighed and watched Monroe for another moment, how she rubbed her shaking hands against each other, and how her gaze had wandered from the file in front of her, to around the room, and aback. Her curiosity finally got the better of her and she grabbed the file and opened it. The first picture showed her and Lucifer in bed, with his back to the camera since he lay on top of her, shielding most of her body, and Chloe instantly knew which day these pictures had been taken from. She swallowed, took the picture and slowly put it aside. Their pose changed, Lucifer was now in a more sitting position. She could see her own legs wrapped around his hips and also saw more of herself. Her face, completely red with arousal, and his hand above her eyes. Suddenly she spotted something and blinked a couple of times to make sure her mind didn't play her a trick. No! It was still there and she leant forward to get a closer look. Some of Lucifer's skin around his neck was red. Was this an optical illusion? Chloe didn't know but could see that there were more pictures waiting for her. She decided to have another look on that later and put it aside as well.

The next picture made her gasp. The skin on Lucifer's back was now almost completely coloured in a dark red, and he was covered in deep scars. The back of his head had the same colour and scars streaking through his skin. She swallowed the lump she felt in her throat and something inside her head screamed at her not to look at the next picture; to put them back and simply forget them, but she couldn't. When she had questions, she wanted answers. Well, right now she had no questions at all, but she was a detective. She'd seen more things in this world she thought of as impossible and she wasn't the type to blink the facts. Mentally preparing herself, she put the picture aside and looked at the next one.

She froze! Her whole body turned into a pillar of salt. She wanted to look away but somehow her body didn't obey her any longer. All she could do was stare down at the picture with eyes wide open. Lucifer's head was tilted backwards up to an angle where, she was dead sure, a normal neck would have snapped. His face as she knew it was completely gone, replaced by a grimace that was covered in deep, dark red scars, similar to those on his back. And his eyes, his eyes glowed in a fiery red colour. No, they didn't just glow, they rather looked as if hellfire itself burned inside of them. She was shocked, and couldn't think one single thought except for the words her partner, Lucifer, had told her over and over again: ' _I am the devil._ '

' _I am the devil!_ '

* * *

 **A/N:** Soooo, I hope you've enjoyed reading it. Please let me know what's on your mind! :D

Aaand. The end was actually the second chapter I've written; to be more precise, there are two versions of it: one happy one, and one not so happy one. So far, I've decided to 60 % to give you the one version, but, depending on my mood, there is still the chance for you to get the other. Soooo, you will see ;)

Have a nice day!

:o)


	6. Come closer!

**A/N:** Hello my dear readers. I'm so glad that you're all still with me. Thank you very much for all the lovely reviews so far. Especially those who reviewed each and every chapter, and those who left the lengthy ones and told me how they felt afterwards, what they liked and didn't. You all are absolutely awesome! If it weren't for you, the chapters hadn't turned out to be so good :D

Well, and because of my awesome **beta-read** er Daemon, who did and does a great job for me! Thank you so much!

And since most of you wanted the happy ending, (for those who wanted both, don't worry, I've decided to upload both versions) here is the **happy ending**. But, well, some of you might know me already, there can't be a rainbow without a little rain, or, like in this case, rather a storm. So be prepared for a very dark area in the middle. Well, if my beta hadn't put his veto in here and there, this would have been much much darker, so don't forget to thank him for that as well :D For those of you who are light-hearted, please skip the part when Chloe enters her house. There is a **trigger warning** for you.

For all the others, happy reading! :D

PS: There is also a little bonus at the end because I couldn't help myself. Enough from me!

Enjoy!

* * *

 _Come closer!_

o~o

The loud throbbing of Chloe's heartbeat resounding in her ears kept her from perceiving that the room had become dead silent. She didn't know for how long she'd stopped breathing, but when the burning in her lungs became too painful she eventually inhaled deeply. Her sight was still fixed at the picture in front of her; the grotesque face with its haunting eyes that stared right into hers. She wanted to look away, but couldn't bring her head to turn or her lids to close. No single muscle in her body obeyed her will. When after a while the shock subsided, her body started to tremble, easing up some of the tension, and finally, she was able to move her hands to the pictures, hastily gathering them up and closing the file shut to spare her further insight into this nightmare.

She breathed a sigh of relief, when all of a sudden the photos flashed up again in front of her inner eye, scaring her anew. A thick lump formed inside her throat, slowly throttling the air supply, and she had to swallow several times before she could get rid of it, stifling down the panic-fuelled cry in the process that crawled up on her and threatened to break out any moment. She tightly clutched onto any composure that was left inside of her, frantically trying not to lose it right here in her boss's office, and pushed the terrifying thought to the back of her head. There must be an explanation to all of this, she told herself. A reasonable explanation to why in these pictures, that showed one of their intimate moments, Lucifer looked as if he was... Chloe couldn't bring it over herself to even say the word in her mind, to even consider it. No! She shook her head, determined. He wasn't! He couldn't be!

"Detective?"

The Lieutenant's cautious-sounding voice brought her back into the here and now, and Chloe reminded herself once again that she was in the office of her boss, together with her. She harrumphed and took several more breaths to call herself back to order before she looked up and straight into her superior's eyes.

"Do you want me to do something about it?" Monroe asked softly, worried for her employee. Never before in her life had she witnessed her Detective getting silent and pale within the blink of an eye. When she saw the pictures the first time, she had hoped that Chloe knew this already, and, trusting her ability for public safety, she had contemplated to leave it up to her on how to proceed. But seeing her reaction first-hand, she knew in this instant that Chloe hadn't known either who the man, Mr Morningstar, actually was; _what_ he actually was. And this completely turned the tables.

The void in her head was still pressing down on her like a heavy weight when Chloe found herself shaking her head vigorously, denying the other woman's offer. As if this little gesture had opened the dike, a million and one questions suddenly flooded her mind. She was confused at them, couldn't even think one coherent thought, let alone voice them out loud. And if she was totally honest with herself, she was scared to the bones. It wasn't the red colour of his skin or the deep, dark scars she'd seen on his back. What really shook her to the core were those eyes that, despite being just on this photograph, seemed like they were piercing right through her, as if they knew she was looking at them. Still, the need to protect him, Lucifer, her partner, was the loudest voice in her head. "No, Lieutenant," Chloe eventually answered in a surprisingly steady tone. She looked down at her fingers, realising their almost uncontrollable shiver, and she quickly clutched the file in her hands tighter. "Please forget that you've ever seen them," she bid quietly without a second thought. Squinting her eyes shut and silently ordering herself to calm down, she turned her attention back to the woman in front of her and added with all earnestness, "And tell Garcia to destroy the footage."

Her Lieutenant looked at her as if she'd just spoken in Mandarin. "Are you absolutely sure about that?" she inquired sceptically. After all, this wasn't like one of her officers had swept a speeding ticket under the table. This was far worse. Maybe even a threat to life as she knew it. Not that she personally wouldn't prefer to lock this whole thing in a safe and throw away the key. But she was the Lieutenant. She had to think about the precinct, the community first, regardless of her personal feelings.

Chloe couldn't believe the words that had just left her mouth, but thinking about it, she was sure; she was certain of it. Nodding her head, she verbally affirmed as well, "Yes!" She took another deep breath. The sound of her heart was still blaring in her ears, and it was almost impossible for her to concentrate on what she was about to say next. But she needed to make this clear. "As you told me already, Lieutenant. You want _me_ to decide what to do with those pictures. And I ask you to forget you've ever seen them. And tell Garcia to destroy all evidence of their existence." The tone in her voice got steadier with each syllable, bringing back her self-control, and in the end, she stared at her superior with a stern and demanding expression.

"Well, I can't say that _I_ wouldn't be glad to forget what is on them, but-" Monroe started her objection, but was quickly cut off by her Detective.

"Lieutenant, I need your word on this," Chloe pleaded adamantly. It wasn't just her personal feelings about those pictures. If they really were true, then people had to be kept safe. But this also included Lucifer. And she needed to be absolutely sure that she could trust her boss to provide safety to her partner as well. It was dreadful to imagine those pictures in the wrong hands. When she saw the woman opposite to her nodding her confirmation, some of her tension eased down again. Without another word, she grabbed the file, tightly pressing it to her chest as if she wanted to protect its content, and stood up from the chair. Turning around, Chloe was about to grab the door handle when a sudden thought kept her back and made her face her boss again. "Are these the only copies?" she wondered, her speech wavered by the worried feeling inside of her.

"Yes," Monroe assured right away, nodding. Her view lowered back onto her desk when she repeated, "I will tell Garcia to instantly delete all the footage." After taking a breath she continued, "And to pretend that he'd never seen them, as I do. You have my word, Detective."

The last sentence had been spoken softer than the words before and Chloe instantly knew, her boss would keep them. "Good!" she replied, relieved, and was about to turn back to the door when the Lieutenant's voice rose again.

"And in return, I have your word that you will take care of this... incidence?" Monroe wanted to make sure, her tone slightly alerting at the possible impact this situation could have.

Chloe paused and gripped the file firmer. She didn't like at all how the woman's voice had sounded, what she had implied with her words. After all, it was still her partner, right? It was still Lucifer, it... Chloe's mind stopped abruptly as she realised the expression she'd been silently using. Lucifer wasn't an _it_! Lucifer was a _he_ , wasn't he? The throbbing in her ears quickened, revealing how the rate of her pulse had increased as if she was on a run. She looked back to her Lieutenant, her eyes steadfastly fixed on hers, when she calmly answered, "You have my word that I will do anything to keep _everyone_ safe."

Her boss visibly relaxed into her chair, nodding reassured, and Chloe quickly turned around, rushed out of the room and shut the door loudly behind herself. Not wanting to spend just one more second inside this building, she made a beeline to the elevator, silently praying that it would be there at the push of the button, and thanking relieved when the loud ping instantly resounded and the door slid open. She scurried inside and quickly pressed the button for ground level. Only when the door slid shut again, she allowed herself to breathe. Her body trembled as the air blew up her lungs, and she almost choked on herself when she tried to keep the wave of emotions at bay that were washing over her. She couldn't break down now. Not here! Not in the precinct, with all these people everywhere.

When the lift arrived at the floor, she hurried out to the taxi that was waiting for her. With the past events of the night, she had felt too tired to drive on her own and had used a taxi to get to the precinct. And right now she was glad she didn't have to drive back on her own. She wouldn't be able to do so after what she'd just seen. Hastily opening the door, she quickly got inside the car, slamming the door shut when she was seated.

"Do you want to drive back to your home, ma'am?" the friendly driver asked. His warm eyes reflected from the rear-view mirror he was peering into to have a look at her.

Chloe thought about his question. Going directly back home and getting a clear head first really sounded tempting. She could take her time to think everything through before she would take action, before she would have to face him again... She almost was about to answer with a 'y _es'_ when her mind abruptly changed plans: She wouldn't be able to relax again before she had her answers. And she needed them now, the sooner the better, she thought to herself and quickly stated, "No!" Her jaw started to quaver and she halted for a moment, took a deep breath to compose herself, and ordered in a friendly manner, "Please drive to LUX." The man nodded into the mirror, starting the engine, and Chloe quickly buckled up when the car moved into the lane and drove off.

/-/

The drive had been silent all the way to LUX. Chloe was too caught up in her thoughts to even register the changing surroundings. Only when the car arrived at the side road of the building and stopped, she snapped back into reality and quickly turned her attention from the window to the driver. "Could you please wait here?" she asked in a tone that was filled with affliction. "I won't take long. You can keep the clock running," she added, trying to make it sound more nonchalant this time.

The driver turned to her, flashing her his warmest smile, and replied, "Don't worry, ma'am. You can take as long as you need. I'll wait here." Then he turned back and switched off the clock. A gesture he wouldn't have done for a lot of his passengers. But this woman was different. She'd been so chatty and nice on the way to the police department, and when she'd come back, her whole behaviour had changed. She seemed deeply distressed and he instantly depicted in his mind that something terrible must have happened. He was glad that he'd changed tours with his colleague last minute, knowing that his fellow would have most probably taken advantage and charge her even the double price for waiting. But he wasn't anything like his colleague: When someone was in trouble, he would try to help. And this woman clearly needed all the help she could get. Even if it was as simple as switching off the clock so she wouldn't need to pay for waiting.

Chloe nodded thankfully at the man before she unbuckled and stepped out of the car. She walked ahead, towards the side entry of the club and almost tripped over her feet when she suddenly spotted the Corvette parking right next to it. She'd been so distracted in her mind again, that she hadn't even registered the car standing there. Lucifer's car, with which Detective Anderson had brought her home that night. In an instant, the memories of the ride shot back into her head and she saw the Detective's beaming eyes when he took a seat behind the wheel. He'd told her that he'd admired the car since the first time he'd spotted it in front of the precinct and that he couldn't quite believe he was sitting in the driver's seat of that precious metal lady. Chloe had intended to be driven home in one of the police cars, but when she'd seen the look on her colleagues face, she'd suggested to him to drive her home first, so he could enjoy the longer ride. They had been chatting and joking during the way back to her home and it was only thanks to the lightheartedness of their talk that she was able to fall asleep right away, rather than tossing and turning in bed, and unintentionally recalling all the events. She swallowed down the queasy feeling this little memory trip had stirred up inside of her and turned to the door, opening it and stepping inside.

The club looked almost deserted if it weren't for the few staff members who cleaned the floor and made everything ready for the upcoming night. Chloe cast a glance over to the bar where she used to sit with Lucifer during those times of the day, discussing their current case, enjoying the quiet atmosphere that was so very different from when the club would open only two hours later and would instantly be filled with young partying people, and, most importantly, simply relishing the time she had alone with him. A lump formed in her throat at the memory. She hastily swallowed it down and pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind. There was no time to reminisce about them right now, she told herself and made her way over to the lift. The doors instantly slid open when she pressed the button, and she stepped inside. She selected the number to his penthouse and watched the doors slide close again before the lift took off, ignoring the nervous tremble of her legs that increased, the closer she came to his floor.

The indirect light that shimmered from the marble coloured wall on her back bathed the little cubicle into a comfortable ambience, and she almost shrieked when the loud ping resounded, announcing that she'd reached the penthouse and the doors sprang back open. The hesitation to leave this safe cell rumbled around inside of her, making her fingers quiver visibly, and she quickly pulled the sleeves over her knuckles and clutched the file tighter to cover her discomfort. Taking a deep breath and plucking up all her courage, she finally walked out of the elevator and into the entrance area of his apartment.

"I'm glad you decided to step out of the lift by yourself, Chloe," Lucifer's cheerful voice instantly sounded through the room, addressing her. "I was about to get up and get you," he teased while eliciting more of the soft tunes out of his grand that had already filled the air.

For a moment, Chloe froze at his words. Had he known she would come? Had he sensed her? She quickly shook her head to get rid of the fear that crept up on her spine. This wasn't something new. Somehow he always knew when she was nearby; then, he had closed his eyes and taken a deep breath as if he could smell her presence. And all this time she hadn't spent one bit of concern about that behaviour. So why was she starting now? Because of the pictures she'd seen? She almost wanted to answer in the affirmative, before she silently rebuked herself. First, she needed to talk to him. She needed answers. A reasonable explanation. And only after that, she would allow her feelings to get the better of her.

Lucifer was playing the melody on his piano that he had played the night before; the same song that had pushed the worrying thoughts aside and had calmed his heart down. He hadn't been worried about anything when he'd started to play the song, this time. The trip to the hospital had been easy. As expected, the doctors didn't find any of his ribs broken or his inner organs affected by the two bullet hits. They had discharged him with a package of ointment to help his haematomas heal, and had told him to rest and cool the areas with ice until the bruises would disappear. When he came home, he'd instantly spotted his car on the side road and sighed with relief. He had checked for scratches on the paint, of course, but only briefly, when he felt sleep slowly wrapping itself around him. He'd barely managed to reach his bedroom before he dropped down onto the pillow and snored his way into dreamland. When he woke up a couple of hours later, alerted by noises coming from the entrance area, he quickly got up and caught sight of the Brittany's making their way over to him, dressed only in a breath of nothing, to welcome him back. He'd laughed out with joy, had waltzed over to them and gently but firmly had pushed them back into the elevator. Their surprised and befuddled faces almost made him feel pity for them, but he'd only apologised with a smile and said that he didn't need them at the moment. He didn't need anyone at the moment, or anytime in the future, except for a certain feisty Police Detective, he'd silently admitted and strolled over to his grand, taking a seat and starting to play the melody that reminded him so much of her.

But now, he felt worry crawling up from the depths of his guts. Several moments have passed by, and still, he hadn't heard anything from Chloe: No words, no sounds, not even the slightest noises. And if he didn't know that she was standing in the entrance area and didn't feel her gaze lingering on him, he would have thought he imagined things. This certainly wasn't a sick bed visit how he had dreamed about, that would end in some delightful pleasure for the both of them. This was something else. This was serious.

Lucifer's suspicion quickly got confirmed when he glanced up from the black and white keys and beheld her. She looked so fragile to him; her skin tone was dangerously pale, and her eyes, even if she tried anything possible to hide it from him, reflected sheer fear. His smile instantly vanished from his face and he felt his heart sinking to his boots. "What happened?" he asked her, full of worry, and jumped up from his seat, driven by the inner need to immediately embrace her into a tight hug and scare away whatever must have frightened her. Suddenly he spotted her whole body flinching at his move, and he froze midway.

"Stay, please," Chloe managed to get out in a voice that was barely above a whisper, raising her hand in a stop gesture to support her words. Unwittingly, her eyes wandered down to the fingers of her outstretched hand: They were shaking again. Both her hands were, right now, and it was that strong that she felt it move up her arms, over her shoulders and down her torso. She needed to get back control over herself before it reached her knees and she would drop down to the floor like a lifeless puppet. Looking back at him, she saw his affirming nod and him taking back his seat at the piano. She exhaled with relief and directly felt some of her strength coming back, making her stand steadily again.

Lucifer was bewildered about her behaviour and didn't quite know how to react properly. But apparently, she needed physical space between them. Hence he fought down the urge to close the distance and wrap her in his arms, and also remained completely still when he watched her cautiously approaching the piano. His eyes followed her hand clutching back around a file she held tightly pressed to her chest, and he recognised with dismay that her fingers were trembling. "I prefer to make you tremble for a different reason," he quipped, lightly raising the corners of his mouth to a faint smile to make up for the wary tone in his voice. The smile, however, dropped quickly southwards at the lack of response from her side. His concern for her grew further, and a feeling added itself to it that her fear must have something to do with what was inside of that file. When she was at the side of the piano, she wordlessly put the thing onto the black gleaming cover and shoved it towards him as far as her arm could reach. "What's that?" he asked her curiously but waited for her to take several steps back towards the exit before he grabbed for the little beige coloured paper.

"They had-," Chloe's voice broke off. She cleared her throat and tried it again. "They had surveillance cameras all around the house," she explained shakily and was glad that her voice didn't fail her the second time.

Lucifer had been about to open it when he heard her words. "So?" he wondered, completely clueless, and looked back up to her, puzzled. His whole attention was fixed at the woman opposite of him, as he patiently awaited her answer.

"These are pictures from when we-" She stopped abruptly, unable to say anything more on that part when the elucidation instantly brought back the memories. She had felt so aroused and, at the same time, safe with him back then that she hadn't questioned his demand to keep her eyes shut for one split second. She hadn't even spent one single thought at the reason for him to do so. And it horrified her now, to know that during this time, he had been looking like this. "They show you.. but also not... and I think...," she stammered incoherently and stopped again to swallow down the new lump in her throat. "Actually, I don't know what to think," she admitted quietly, completely overwhelmed by the situation.

Lucifer chuckled lightly at the unexpected insight. His half open mouth stretched to a sad smile, and his eyes wandered from the top of his piano to the file in his hands to her and aback. Collecting his thoughts, he considered for a moment to open it nevertheless; to simply get certainty of what exactly she'd seen of him. But he simply placed the file back on top of his grand. Truth be told, he was afraid of it, afraid of the realisation he most definitely would get, that _he_ had caused her such a fright. His chest tightened almost painfully, and for a moment he didn't know if his heart had stopped its service or if he only had one of these panic attacks Linda once had talked to him about. Finding it hard to breathe properly, he waited a moment, closing his eyes to call himself to order, before he locked up all the emotions inside of him and put on his mask of cockiness and indifference. "Well, do you want a drink, then?" he suggested in his usual cheerful tone, grabbing his glass that stood near the corner of the cover and taking a sip.

Chloe slowly shook her head. Absent-minded, her look wandered around the room and fixed itself on the sun that had almost disappeared behind the horizon. The nervousness grew within her and only added to the coldness that filled her up. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to get at least some form of comforting warmth. Her chest rose, and after she breathed out the air from her lungs, she fixed her sight on the ground in front of her and replied with a low voice, "I want an answer."

"You already know the answer, Chloe," Lucifer replied calmly, his voice carrying away the chagrin this small sentence from her had stirred up inside of him. He flashed her another one of his sad smiles, before he continued, "I've never lied to you about who I am. I've told you so, right from the start."

"No!" she countered firmly and vehemently shook her head. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes and her chin trembled from the barrage of emotions that flooded over her at the impact this little word had caused. "I don't want to believe it!" she breathed and quickly wiped the little drops from her cheeks that had fallen down.

Lucifer closed his eyes and clenched his teeth in anger. A low grumble managed to escape his throat before he had himself back under control. "That's not my fault!" he retorted and looked back at her with almost black eyes.

"Please," she begged him, her voice rose several octaves in her despair. If he could just tell her something reasonable for her to believe in. Something, that could stop her world from falling apart. She would give anything for that. "Explain it to me," she pleaded imploringly. "So I can...," she trailed off, not able to continue speaking out the words her thought has provided her with.

"What?" Lucifer laughed out, mocking her to hide the hurt he felt at her denial. "Go back to your home and pretend that I don't exist?" he blared the last words in anger. Rising up from his seat, he took several steps towards her, his fiery red eyes flashing up at her as he spat, "I am the devil, Chloe! Whether you want to believe it or not!" When he saw her jumping with fright, shrinking back from him and clutching her arms even tighter around herself, his eyes quickly switched back to their brown colour. He stared at her, lost, hurt and helpless about how to go on without causing more damage to her fragile soul. He hadn't wanted to scare her, had never intended to do so. But he also couldn't see any other way for her to understand. To stop denying what was right in front of her, and to finally start believing his words, to believe him.

Chloe shook her head, causing further tears to run down her face. She was shocked to see those eyes first-hand. Their fiery colour. This fire that burned inside of them, inside of him. When he slowly started to approach her, her instinctive reaction was to move backwards, closer to the elevator.

It was nothing like the reaction he'd seen from Linda, back then, when he'd showed her his other self. Linda was shocked, and a little frightened, yes. But Chloe? The pure fear in her eyes awoke something inside of him that was beyond angst, beyond the feeling of panic to lose her for good, and he instantly regretted his decision. "I'm still me!" he quickly affirmed her, his voice louder than usual, but equally soft. "I will never hurt you, Chloe," he assured her, shaking his head to underline it, allowing the desperation he felt about the possibility of her leaving him to sound through. And when he saw her making small steps towards the exit, he almost shouted, pleading to her sense of reason, "You know that!"

She stopped and blinked her eyes, wiping away the wetness on her cheeks to buy herself some time, making it look like she had to consider his words for a moment. The truth was, she didn't know anything anymore, least of all what to do now. She was torn between the feelings she still had for him and the inner urge to run for her life and hide somewhere where he couldn't find her, if this was even possible. After all, it didn't happen that often that the man you considered your partner, your friend, the man you trusted to no end, who you fell for, turned out to be the devil, literally; a figure that for thousands of years was described as a monster, the epitome of Evil. How was this even rudimentarily comparable to the things she knew about him? But right now, all she could digest was the huge amount of fear and helplessness that ran through her. She fiddled with her hands, feeling the cold sweat that had soaked her fingers, except for one tiny area that felt as smooth as always. Looking down at her hands, her heart skipped a beat when she spotted the ring that was still on her finger. She'd completely forgotten to take it off. Not even her daughter had mentioned the little piece of metal one time. Within those few days, she'd become so used to it that her mind had already accepted it as a part of herself. As if she needed reconfirmation that the ring hadn't blended into her skin, she twisted it around her finger a couple of times.

"These pictures there, are the only copy," it suddenly blurted out of her mouth, and she continued out of the need to interrupt the silence that had fallen between them, "I told the Lieutenant to make sure that all the footage will be destroyed." Single teardrops fled her eyes and she quickly wiped them off, snuffling audibly, before she went on, "And to forget that she had ever seen them." As mighty as the fear about everything she'd experienced within the past half hour had been, the need to protect him occupied the major part of her mind. But she had to protect the people in her life as well, most importantly her daughter, but also the Detectives she worked with. "Please don't come to the precinct anymore," she pleaded softly. "I-," her voice broke again, and once more she needed to take a deep breath before she could restart her attempt to speak, "I made sure that Monroe won't do anything on her own... regarding you," she added with a shaky tone, and slowly the fear and worry inside of her took over again. "But I can't protect you when you show up in the precinct again."

Lucifer pricked up his ears at her words. Why did she think that he needed protection? That he couldn't handle it himself, regarding Monroe or the other Detectives? He watched how her hands played with each other, how she stepped further back, towards the bar, placing something he couldn't make out onto its counter before she continued her path to the elevator. Panic gripped him. Panic, that she actually meant she wanted to protect the others _from him_. Maybe even protect herself... But she wouldn't need to! "I'm still me!" he repeated with despair, this time refraining from adding that she knew that. As special as she was, she was only human, and humans tended to run away from things that frightened them, things they couldn't or didn't want to understand.

Chloe had reached the elevator and felt for the button, pressing it firmly with quavering fingers while she shook her head from side to side. Fresh tears flooded her eyes, blurring her sight up to the point where she no longer could make out the silhouette of his body. The ping resounded, slightly startling her, followed by the sound of the doors opening, and she whispered with a heavy heart, "Goodbye, Lucifer." She stepped into the elevator, quickly pressing ground level, before she pushed herself in the farthest corner of the little cubicle, hiding from his stare that followed her until the doors closed.

The lift down felt agonisingly long and with each passing second her ability to hold all these distressing emotions at bay shrunk. With the last of her strength, she dragged herself back to the taxi, slumping down into the backseat and slamming the door shut.

"Shall I drive you home now, ma'am?"

The driver's innocent question burst all her remaining walls and she broke down, crying her eyes out. It felt like dying, so tremendous was the pain inside of her. As if her heart was being ripped from out of her chest.

"Ma'am, is everything alright?" the driver asked hastily, appalled and at a lost. He stretched his arm against the steering wheel to turn his body halfway towards her, looking for any visible injury.

"Yeah, yeah," she lied poorly, and blubbered out, "Just drive me back, please." She couldn't even say the word aloud that ran through her head: _Home_. She knew, deep inside of her heart that she would never feel home again. _He_ was her home. And she'd lost him. She'd lost part of herself up there, with her decision. And it hurt, so badly that she had no words to describe it with.

Still baffled about the sudden situation he found himself in, the driver turned back in his seat, and without further words he started the engine, driving off.

/-/

Lucifer stared at the closed elevator doors for some time, seemingly unperturbed. Then he took a short breath of air, went back to his piano, grabbed his drink and emptied it as if nothing had happened. For a moment he stood there, wrapped in silence, tasting the remains of bourbon on his tongue and feeling the cool glass in his hand, while his eyes aimlessly wandered around the room. After a while, he turned around and strolled over to the bar, putting his glass down and refilling it with his finest beverage.

Slowly his mind started to process what just happened, recalling the words that had been spoken, and her last ones resounded in his ears. ' _Goodbye, Lucifer._ ' The way she had looked at him, the way she spoke those two words, it didn't sound like a goodbye to him, rather like a _farewell_. He took the glass back in his hand, raising it up to his lips and tilting it slightly to take a sip. ' _Farewell_ ,' it shot through his head, spoken with her sweet voice, over and over again. And then it sank in.

Lucifer let out a groan that got louder to overrule the word that still ran around in his head and ended in a blaring scream coming from deep within. His grip around the glass tightened and with savaged force he threw it against the wall, hitting several bottles, smashing them, before he rammed his fists onto the counter, destroying everything that was within reach to match his shattered heart. He felt his cheeks heating up and his eyes burning, until another, hitherto unfamiliar sensation took hold of him: The feeling of hot tears welling up in his eyes and running down his face. He panted, exhausted by the rage and in equal shares agony that streaked him and let his upper body drop down against the remains of the counter. The tears didn't want to cease, and as a new wave of desperation hit him, his body shook and he cried loudly into the palms of his hands.

What was he supposed to do? The inner feelings completely overpowered him, keeping him from forming even one usable thought, and the need to feel anything different than the pain that tightened his chest up to the point he was no longer able to breathe, went sky-high. He placed his hands on both sides and grabbed the pieces of glass, hoping to eliminate the ache in his heart when he could just ram the shards into his flesh. He compressed his fingers as firmly as possible. But it was too late. There was no pain. The shards didn't cut through his skin because Chloe was already too far away. It was forlorn.

She was gone.

Broken, he turned around and sank to the ground. Slowly the leaking alcohol dropped down on him, drenching his head and shirt, but he didn't care about it. He felt numb as if her leaving had also taken away any emotions he once had owned. He would do anything to feel again. Even pain. If he just knew how! His hands were still filled with the shards of glass and he began to roll them around in his fists as if they were just a bunch of marbles. Somehow the crunching sound soothed him, how it invaded the silence around him, reminding him that he still was alive. But from time to time, there was a slightly different sound that reached his ear.

*click*

*click*

When his curiosity finally got the better of him, he stared down at the hand the noise had come from and opened his fingers. There it was, looking at him like a bright shine of light. He emptied his other hand and with thumb and forefinger carefully grabbed the ring and held it in front of his eyes. This was Chloe's ring! He clearly remembered the moment inside the jeweller's shop when he got sight of it, on the day before the undercover operation had started. It was perfect. Just like Chloe. And in that moment he could think of nothing else but how it would look on her finger.

Lucifer let the ring hover in front of him like he used to do with his pentecostal coin, lightly pushing it to let it rotate around its axis. This ring belonged to no one else but Chloe, he told himself and clutched his fingers tightly around the little metal. With his free hand, he wiped the tears off of his face, snuffling down the remaining ones in his eyes, and stood back up. He was determined to give it back to her. Running his fingers through his hair, he felt the moisture and silently added, ' _But not with the way I look!_ ' He turned his head, sniffing at the hem of his shirt. ' _Damn! I smell like a brewery!_ ' he noticed with some dismay and made his way over to the bathroom.

/-/

The ride back to her house provided enough time for Chloe to get a grip on her emotions. When the car drove into the parking area, she quickly fished for a fifty-dollar note and handed it over to the friendly driver. He wanted to return the change to her, but she insisted on him keeping it. The number the clock showed was still the one from before she stepped out in front of LUX, and she concluded that he must have forgotten to start it again when she broke down inside his car. She knew, even if he had started it again, that would be one hell of a tip, but she also wanted to make up for the inconvenience she'd caused with her meltdown. Thanking him for his service and flashing him her best possible smile, she exited the car and walked over to her house.

She unlocked the front door and stepped into the entrance, closing it again behind her and putting the key on the counter. An instant shiver made her freeze and her hair stand on end. Something didn't feel right! There were no noises around the house. Absolute silence. Her inner alarms went off, and, with one hand on her gun, she warily turned around and took some steps towards the living area. Chloe gaped when she spotted the little trail of blood leading behind the couch. She instantly grabbed for her gun, holding it chest-high as she cautiously approached the furniture. "Trixie?" she called for her daughter, and her worry multiplied at the lack of reply. She held her breath as she encircled the couch, and at first, reflexively let out a relieved sigh that it wasn't her when she spotted the babysitter lying on the ground. Seeing the blood, the worry instantly took over again; she crouched down and felt for a pulse. There was none.

Chloe stood back up, all her senses strained, and called again, this time louder, "Trixie!" Soft whimpers emerged from her daughter's room and with few large steps, she was at the door, carefully pushing it open.

Her heart stood still at the sight in front of her and then started again with greater force, pumping the blood through her veins at almost the speed of light. The security guard from Riveroak State sat on her daughter's bed, grinning, and, to her pure horror, held Trixie firmly gripped in front of him, with a knife pressed to her throat.

She gaped, appalled, before the anger about what this man had dared took over, masking the dismay she felt, and she yelled furiously, "Let her go!" Her gun was directly pointed at his head, threatening him, but both adults knew she wouldn't pull the trigger: Her daughter's head was half-shielding his face, and never ever would she risk her child's life.

The security guard tightened his grip on Trixie and the little girl cried out, the sheer terror of what she'd been through etched onto her features. "Mummy!" she wept and hot tears streamed down her face. Her tiny hands were tied together and she moved them against one another in the hope to loosen up the knot, desperately trying to get free.

"It's gonna be alright, baby. Mummy is here now," Chloe tried to soothe her daughter, but she could barely hold in her own panic. Turning her attention back to the guard, she silently recalled everything she knew about hostage-taking. "Please don't hurt her," she pleaded in the calmest tone she could manage. Hoping she could talk him into releasing her daughter, she spoke on softly, "You don't want her anyway, right? It's me you want. Let her go, please, and we can talk."

"Yes, you're right," the man confirmed and his lips curled up into a smile. "I don't want your child," he went on, "but with you having a gun, I'm slightly at the disadvantage here." He paused, turning his head. His gaze wandered from the girl in his arm back to her mother, and he spoke up in a calm, almost cheerful voice, "Let's make it a bit more even and kick the gun over to me, would you?"

Chloe knew that giving him her gun was the worst thing she could do, but with her daughter's life on the line, she had no other choice than to trust him in releasing her child after she was unarmed. Slowly she crouched down, locked the gun and put it on the ground, shoving it over to him as he directed her to.

"Very good," he praised and flashed her a quick, pleased grin. Then his eyes turned darker and his sight wandered down to her shoes while he ordered sternly, "Now your other gun."

She looked at him, baffled. "I don't have another gun." She lied left, right, and centre, imploringly hoping he would buy it. But judging by the look on his face, she knew that he knew.

"Don't play stupid with me!" the guard warned her gravelly and once again pulled Trixie forcefully against his torso, making her cry out in fear.

"Alright! Alright!" Chloe quickly caved in, grabbed the small pistol from out of her boot and pushed it over to him as well.

The guard's features softened right away and he stood up, jutting out his chin and commanding, "Now up to your room, where we can _talk_."

The way he pronounced the word sent a shiver down Chloe's spine, making her skin crawl. She hesitantly shook her head. "First, let my daughter go," she demanded, her voice quivering with the fear for her child. Knowing that she wasn't really in the position to negotiate, she tried to appease him, "You don't need her. I'll do what you say."

"Are you seriously thinking I would let go of the only leverage that I have against you, Chloe?" he hissed and stared at her, disbelieving, his head slightly tilted to one side as he added, "If that is even your real name."

"It is," she quickly assured him, keeping her voice calm and soft to not anger him in any way, while she silently debated about the odds of this hostage-taking at a record time: She'd neither called emergency, nor did anyone else know they were in danger. Dan was out of town and would only come by tomorrow evening to pick up their daughter. The babysitter was a student living alone, with no one awaiting her at a certain time. And Maze, she had left a note on the counter this morning saying she was on a bounty hunt somewhere and told her not to expect her before the next day's morning. Plus, she currently was unarmed. This man could easily do to them whatever he pleased, she noticed with dismay. As for her, she didn't care about what this sicko was up to. Her only concern was her daughter. She had to get her out of here, somehow! Trixie was clever enough to run to the neighbours and call for help. But he would only let her child go when he was convinced that Chloe wouldn't try anything on her own. When she came to the conclusion that submission was her only option, for now, she nodded her compliance and, without further protest, turned around, cautiously heading up the stairs, one eye fixed on her daughter as she led the way to her bedroom. Finally there, she opened the door, and caught her breath as she made out cable ties, already loosely wrapped on her headboard.

"Go ahead! Bind yourself!" the security guard ordered gravelly and with his elbow pushed her further into the room. When Chloe turned around to him, a silent, appalled _'why?_ ' written all over her face, he barked harshly, "Do it!" He shook Trixie once to make her scream again, and pressed the knife firmer at the little girl's throat, threatening her mother, "Or I swear I'll slit her throat!"

"OK!" Chloe cried out, tears welling up in her eyes in fear for her daughter's life. She hastily sat down on the bed, put her left hand through the nearest cable tie and pulled it close. Her guts told her that whatever this man was up to, it must be something very evil, and she carefully left a little gap that was small enough to easily be overseen but still big enough for her hand to slip through, leaving herself a way out.

The guard, however, saw her little attempt and ordered in a warning, deep tone, "All the way up!" His eyes glared darkly at her as if he silently wanted to remind her of what was on the line if she didn't obey to his will.

Chloe nodded her understanding and instantly did as she was told, pulling the cable tightly around her wrist. Maybe she could get the neighbours' attention somehow, she thought to herself, seeing this as the last resort of getting at least her child out of the hands of this maniac. Turning around, she glared at the bastard, sent a worried glance towards her daughter, and then gave her attention to the other cable tie that was fixed to the headboard further away. She had to outstretch both her arms almost completely to reach the loop and stick her hand through. "How am I supposed to tighten this one?" she asked at a loss, her mind not working properly at the immediate danger.

"Don't play stupid with me!" he countered sternly, unimpressed by her attempts to prolong the inevitable. "Didn't you learn anything at the police?" he mocked and walked around to the other side of the bed. "Use your fingers to pull as much of the cable through as possible. A sly grin raised the corners of his lips when she complied without hesitation. When the tie was as tight as she was able to, he briefly lowered the knife from Trixie's neck, grabbed the end that was sticking out and pulled it until the cable didn't move any further. Chloe winced in pain as the plastic cord squeezed her skin and nearly fully cut off the blood supply to her hand. Then he walked back around the bed to her other wrist, tightening this one as well, before he brought Trixie to the closet on the other side of the room. He placed her down, turned her around and pushed her against the closet door, holding her with a firm grip around her neck pressed into the wooden panels, while he rammed his warning into her, "If I hear just one tiny noise from you, or see the door moving just a little bit, I'll hurt your mummy really bad! Understood?" he warned harshly, towering over her.

Trixie stared at him, horrified and with tears in her eyes. She didn't dare to do anything else than silently nod her answer before the guard pulled her aside, opened the closet door and pushed her in, onto the ground. She huddled up against the back corner and stared at him, shaking, scared. When he slammed the door shut again, darkness covered her completely, only adding up to the panic that had already filled her up, and she pressed her hands before her eyes, remaining completely still in fear that the man would do what he'd threatened to.

The guard turned his attention back to Chloe, flashing her a vicious smile and enjoying the hatred that instantly flared up in her eyes. With one swift move, he grabbed one of her ankles, pulled her down until her foot touched the footboard and tied it to it, not caring in the slightest that she had bumped her head in the process. Then he grabbed her other foot and tied it to the footboard as well. Having finished, he walked around the bed, stepped on it, over her, and plumbed down on her.

Chloe clenched her teeth to stifle the anguished cry when his weight almost crushed her hips, pressing her into the mattress. She moved her wrists, trying to break her shackles, but with her limbs fully outstretched and him on top of her, it didn't work and only caused the cord to further squeeze her skin, leaving bright red bruises. "What do you want from me?" she hissed in a hushed tone, not wanting her daughter to hear their conversation and possibly get even more frightened.

He bent forward, grabbed her by her throat with his free hand, his thumb and forefinger dug deeply into her neck right below her jawbone, squeezing tight as he held her fixed. His eyes glared menacingly at hers, when he snarled, "Revenge!"

Chloe swallowed hard and stared wide-eyed at him. She puffed out quick, short blows through her nose when she suddenly felt the cool metal of his knife slowly moving up her cheek. When he halted it shortly below her eye, she locked away all her fears, glared back, and countered through gritted teeth, "For what?"

"This was my community!" he roared and dangled his knife in front of her face, dangerously close. "And you took them away from me! All of them!" He lowered his knife, letting its tip scratch across her shirt, and his eyes followed the tool in his hand while his mind envisioned all the things he wanted to do to her. Still in thoughts, he mumbled angrily, "You had no right to do that." Snapping back into reality, his eyes shot back up and he glared at her, hate-filled. "You little bitch!" he spat, and added in a sudden casual sounding tone, "So I'm gonna take everything away from you, too."

"These people were murderers!" Chloe countered quickly. "They must be held accountable for what they did. They must be punished!"

"You know nothing about punishment!" he blared at her, and his grip around her throat tightened once again before he got himself back under control. He let go of her completely and sat back up. His voice changed again, and he went on threateningly calm, "But you will when I'm done with you." He huffed and repeatedly patted onto her chest with the flat side of his knife. "First, this shirt needs to go," he mumbled to himself, his features revealing the determination he felt. He grabbed the shirt, pulled it up a little and ran the knife through the fabric along her arm. When he reached the sleeve, the tip of its blade nicked her skin, making Chloe wince in pain. *Tut-tut* he clicked his tongue, briefly shaking his head, and chuckled "clumsy me" as he watched the extremely fine trail of bright red blood slowly appearing on the surface. With his thumb, he brushed away the blood and wiped it off on the bed-sheet. Then he turned his eyes back to her, grinning. "But don't worry," he went on cheerfully, "the good cuts come soon." He continued cutting open the fabric along her other arm, this time without causing any damage to her skin, and in a final step, grabbed the collar of her shirt and slit it open across the middle of her chest. Pulling the shirt out from beneath her, he carelessly tossed it on the ground, all the while his eyes stayed fixed on her chest, taking in the view. "My, my, what a nice little canvas you have. So smooth skin," he commented with awe and ran his finger along the side of her ribcage. "You'll be my masterpiece!" he announced and his eyes beamed at her.

Chloe swallowed and her wide open eyes stared alternately between the man's eyes and the sharp blade. To know the reason behind someone's actions was crucial for survival, that much she knew from her training. And her mind frantically tried to find out what he could be driven by. Then it dawned on her. The knife, his words... Her inner eye quickly showed her the pictures she'd seen from the dead bodies covered in cuts. The cuts were also the first things that stood out when she'd seen her colleagues being brought into the torture chamber on the footage. Someone had to do this. And this someone was sitting right on top of her, she concluded. "You're the one who has to cut the victims before the others kill them!" it slipped off her tongue before she was able to hold herself back. Seeing his wide grin, she was certain that she hit the mark. "You don't need to do that anymore!" she quickly told him, shaking her head and putting on a sympathetic expression. "McClain is in custody. He has no power over you any longer. You can stop now."

"What?" He stared at her, first baffled, then enraged. "Do you truly think I'm _his_ minion?" The glare he sent her made very clear that her words were more than just insulting. Innerly, he was furious and several times about to simply stab her, to give free rein to his anger, but could manage to contain himself at the last minute. He huffed, collecting all the anger, and snarled with a deep voice, "How dare you! It was _all_ _me_! Not these brainless, sex-driven wannabes. They just wanted to live the good life. But they didn't have the guts to do anything for it."

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry! My bad," she quickly replied, trying to appease him, to somehow bring him back to his senses, at least the few that were left, but he didn't even listen to her.

" _I_ protected them!" he went on, and the more words left his mouth, the calmer he became. " _I_ guided them! _I_ supported them! They had everything they ever wanted, just because of _me_!" he retorted and tilted his head, his dark eyes stared at her.

"And those who didn't want to play your sick game were killed," Chloe countered quietly, reproachfully staring at him.

He smirked and puffed up his chest. "I had to cut off the bad shoots, so the others couldn't get infected," he explained to her, visibly proud. "So the tree stayed clean and could grow."

"These were _people_ you killed! Real people! Not some branches," she spat furiously. The anger she felt about his words almost let her forget the danger she was currently in.

"They deserved to die!" he retorted cockily, fully convinced. "They didn't obey the rules! _My_ rules!" he corrected calmly.

"They were innocent people!" Chloe spat through gritted teeth.

"Non of them was innocent!" he suddenly roared, and then continued with the same, calm and cold voice from before, "You have no idea, Chloe." He shook his head, repeating quietly, "No idea." He became silent, as if he was momentarily indulging in a memory, but then his voice sounded again, soft, creating a great contrast to the words he uttered, "They were greedy. No matter what I gave them, they wanted more. They took everything from me. And instead of being grateful to me, they then wanted to leave me."

For a split second, she felt sorry for him for what he'd said and the brief moment of sorrow that flared up in his eyes, reminding her of how he'd calmed her when she was in sheer panic that night, how he'd helped her the day after. But then his eyes returned to their cold, dark and hateful expression, and she was reminded again that no matter what good he did then, he did more evil.

"They thought they could trick me, hide from me, run away..." he listed, and for a brief moment his sight wandered off into space as a memory hit him. Then he fixed his eyes back on Chloe, an evil grin playing around his lips, and he added, "Or trying to warn the newest residents and get them out."

 _'Amelia!'_ it instantly shot through her mind at the accuracy of his description. She thought back at the moment when Anderson told her that they hadn't found the Grays so far. Their house had seemed abandoned, and even after a second search round, they were nowhere inside the area. "What did you do to Amelia and Kelly?" she shouted out, her voice filled with the worry for them.

He grinned at her roguishly, and mentioned casually, "Don't worry. You'll see them soon." The knife hovered over her lower belly, and he swung it from side to side as if he was a choirmaster who directed the tact for their newest composition.

With each sway, its tip got closer to Chloe's abdomen and she sucked in her stomach to get back some space between herself and the blade. She got nervous, especially when he simply continued with his game, reaching lower and lower until the knife came in contact with her skin. He waited a couple of seconds, prolonging the agonising thoughts in her head, a mixture of fear, uncertainty and impatience, when all of a sudden he smoothly cut across it, reaching halfway into her dermis. She cried out in pain and he quickly pressed his hand over her mouth, stifling her cries.

"Shshsh! We don't want the neighbours to hear you, do we?" He followed her quick glance over to the window and chuckled darkly. Removing the knife, he briefly shook at her face to get back her attention, and added with a smile, "I know what you're thinking. But you better stay quiet or I'll go to the closet and do to your precious little daughter what I did to the babysitter. Got that?" When he saw her clear nod, he asked further, "Can I remove my hand and you won't scream?" Again, her answer was a hasty nod. "Really sure? Because I'm quicker at the closet than you are." When she rigorously nodded that she would stay silent, he grinned cheekily, removed his hand, and sat back up.

"You are a monster!" she spat at him in a scornful, low voice, blinking away the tears that had welled up in her eyes due to the pain. Her lower belly was throbbing painfully and bright blood escaped from the cut, running along the side of her body and dribbling down onto the bedsheets.

"Yeah, that's what some of them called me," he confirmed nonchalantly and shrugged his shoulders. "But you know what?" he asked rhetorically and puffed up his chest once again. "I rather see myself as their devil."

Chloe shook her head vigorously. "No, you're not!" she hissed through gritted teeth.

"Oh, why's that?" He raised his eyebrows, suddenly becoming very interested in her opinion.

"Because Lucifer would never have done the things you do! He isn't the perverted bastard you are. He's not evil!" she shot back, grimly, and the memory of her partner, Lucifer, evoked unwanted emotions inside of her. Emotions of sadness, hurt and guilt, that she'd left him up there in his penthouse without the chance to properly explain himself; judging him by what she knew from books rather than by his actions towards her. And ignoring that he was so much better, so much kinder and gentler, than this sick bastard; most probably even better than most of this earth's population. It tugged at her heartstrings to know that the last moment she had with him was a fight, stirred up out of fear and denial from her side.

"What? You mean your Lucifer?" he asked, perplexed, bringing her out of her thoughts, and when he saw the determination in her eyes, he taunted, "You really think your Lucifer is the real devil?"

"Yes, he is!" Chloe growled and her eyes narrowed at him, hate-filled.

The guard barely suppressed the chuckle that was rolling up his throat. "Well, did he ever do that?" he wondered and positioned the knife at the upper part of her sternum, pulling it down. The blade easily went through her skin, almost cutting down to the bone at one point, and he only stopped when he'd reached the lower end of the breastbone.

Chloe pressed her lips and teeth together to muffle her outcry as best as possible, panting to breathe the pain away that instantly flooded her senses. Her jaw trembled and fresh, hot tears ran down the sides of her face, wetting the pillow below. When the pain subsided, she took a couple of deep breaths to regain control of herself. Spurred by the only thought in her mind, her eyes wandered over to the closet, half hidden behind the man on top of her. And she wished that she could see her child again, just one more time. The thought of her daughter provided her with a new surge of strength and she growled at the guard, "Lucifer will come and then he will give you hell!"

"Oh really?" he asked sardonically, his face turned into a feigned fright and his fingers splayed over his chest, mocking her words. Then he folded his arms, shaking his head, tut-tutting about her. "Well, then we better wait for him, too. A threesome is more fun, anyway." He turned his head towards the door, pricking his ears, and after a moment of silence, he stared back at her. "I don't really hear anything," he remarked sneeringly. His voice turned into a half-sing-song tone as he ridiculed her, "Are you sure he will come?"

' _Of course not!_ ' Chloe thought to herself and bit back the tears. She'd made sure that he would stay as far away from her as possible with the show she'd given him earlier. How she wished to take back the words she'd spoken, to erase the way she'd reacted towards him. True, Lucifer was the devil, and the more she told herself, the less frightening the thought became. But he'd never hurt her, and he never would. Not like this scum right here in front of her. She'd lost her chance, maybe even for good, to tell Lucifer how she felt about him, that she regretted her mistrust, and that she wished for him to be here right now. But this was a wish that would never come true...

The guard laughed out loud as he saw the display of forlornness on her features. "How I love that look on your face!" he enthused and grinned wickedly. "The sheer horror and desperation in your eyes. They all get it, eventually," he explained to her casually, "the moment they realise that there is no one there to save them. That they are about to die." Smirking viciously, he moved the knife over her upper body, making a couple of little nicks into her skin that weren't deep enough to even cause any damage, but were hurting nevertheless. And each time she winced or shrunk away from the blade, his eyes beamed brighter.

Chloe was exhausted and tired, and slowly felt hope vanishing from within her. She couldn't move; her feet and hands had already become numb at the lack of blood circulation. There was no way of escaping this. He wouldn't stop until he got from her what he wanted. And if no one would hear them or find them... Her only wish was that he forgot about her daughter inside the closet, so Trixie could survive. "He will find you," she whispered and a single tear ran down her face.

The guard shrugged his shoulders, not the slightest bit worried by her words. "Yeah! Maybe," he countered cockily and stared into space. Then his attention turned back to her, his lips stretched into a lunatic grimace. "But before that, we two have all night to play!"

"Just get it over with and kill me already!" Chloe hissed at him. She knew there was no chance of her getting out of this, anyway. So why this unnecessary prolonging?

"No," he countered, elongating the word while lightly shaking his head from side to side. A smile coloured his face and he started to reveal his plans to her, "Killing you is the very last thing on my list. Do you want to know what comes first?" Seeing her startled stare, he grinned, mumbling to himself "of course you do" and bent forward. He gripped around her throat, right at the underside of her jaw, keeping her face firmly fixed at him, as he lowered himself down to her ear and whispered into it.

Chloe couldn't breathe, but not because of his death grip around her throat. No! It were the words he spoke that choked her lungs and let her blood freeze. His fingers clenched tighter around her throat and she panted through her nose, making little huffing sounds.

When he was done telling her everything, the guard sat back up, savouring the sight of sheer terror in Chloe's eyes for a moment, before he lowered himself a bit again and added amusedly, "And only then, I will-"

Suddenly his weight was off of her and Chloe saw him flying against the wall with a loud *thud* out of the corners of her eyes before another thud disclosed that he'd fallen to the ground. She hastily took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the much-needed air, when suddenly something else was around her, encompassing her completely and shielding her view from everything else. It happened so fast that her eyes couldn't catch what was going on. Something, or someone, she assumed, was gripping around her, holding tight. But it wasn't anything dangerous, or hurtful. It was warm, firm but gentle, dark, and with the smell of cigarettes and bourbon. When her senses brought the information to her brain, her mind quickly processed. "Lucifer?" she breathed shakily, not daring to believe that it was really him, in fear that her mind had just played her a trick to endure this torture somehow. "Yes," she suddenly heard his soft reply, his lips so close to her ear that his breath tickled the tiny hairs around it. And finally, it sank in. It was over! She was safe!

She exhaled quick, low gasps, matching her rushing heart that pumped the blood even faster through her veins. Her body started to tremble from the ceasing adrenaline and a sudden cold spread out inside of her. She wanted to clasp her arms around him, to bury her face into the crook of his neck and hug him so close that their bodies would melt together, but she was still enchained and completely dependent on his strong arms around her to hold her tight. One of his hands wandered up to her wrist, pulling her free with a swift move, before it went back to its place on her back, steadying her head so she didn't need to burn up her energy on that. Her arm instantly clutched around his neck, her fingers firmly digging into the fabric of his jacket, and she buried her face into his neck. She squinted her eyes close and breathed in his fragrance some more to soothe her nerves, making the shock she came down from a little bit more bearable. She only realised that he'd already freed her other hand when his fingers gently brushed across the deep red bruise that had engraved itself around her wrist while he carefully directed her hand around his neck as well. When she felt his other hand on her back, calmingly running up and down, she tightened her grip around him. "Lucifer," she whispered again and took another breath of his scent. She turned her head lightly, feeling the stubbles of his two-day-old beard brushing against her cheek as she snuggled into him.

"I'm here. You're safe now," Lucifer whispered into her ear. With his thumb, he brushed against the soft hairs at the hairline on her neck, back and forth. When her fingers dug further into his shoulders, their grip becoming almost frantic, he wrapped his arms firmer around her, to reassure her once again that he was with her, that she was safe. He felt her jaw trembling against the side of his neck, and immediately afterwards her soft sobs echoed through the room. Her body tensed against his, and he knew she tried to keep herself under control. He turned his head, tenderly nudging the side of her face, and started to rock their bodies back and forth. "Shush," he softly whispered into her ear.

Her sobs became quicker and louder, and when the flood of emotions she'd locked down deep inside of her finally emerged and bubbled up to the surface, they turned into loud cries made of desperation and relief. Hot tears streamed down her face, drenching his neck and shirt, and she held onto him so tightly, because, in this moment, he was her lifeline.

Once again, he hugged her closer. "It's over... I'm here now... No one will hurt you," he assured her while their bodies swayed from side to side, and her cries slowly died down.

He wanted to hold her like this forever. But there still was this scumbag lying right next to them and the need to bring her out of this room, out of this house, got the better of him. Still, he wasn't ready to let go of her, yet. And so his hand wandered down to her hips, gripping around her, and he lightly lifted her up and moved the both of them to the lower end of the bed.

Chloe winced in pain, as the motion caused her legs to bend and thereby bring further pressure onto the ties around her ankles.

Lucifer hastily apologised to her; he hadn't intended to hurt her any more than she already was. With her in tow, he bent his upper body backwards, quickly grabbed for the cable ties, and carefully pulled them off. Having her finally free, he gripped around her legs and lifted her up.

"No! Trixie!" Chloe shouted out when she realised what he was about to do. Seeing his baffled and confused eyes staring at her, she quickly elucidated, pointing with her finger ahead, "He locked her in the closet." She almost yelped when she saw his worried features changing into the purest form of hatred in the blink of an eye, as he looked at the closet and back to her. Nodding his understanding, he gently sat her back down on the bed, whispering "be right back" into her hair and pecking her on her head, before he turned around and made his way over to the other side of the room. He stopped mid-way, and Chloe was about to ask if there was a problem, when she saw him taking off his jacket, stepping back to her, and wrapping the garment around her shoulders. Chloe dressed quickly, while he walked over to the closet.

Lucifer pulled the door open and bent down to grab the child, but an instant high-pitched scream startled him. For a split second, he stood transfixed, before he shook himself out of his stare. "Hush, child! It's me, Lucifer," he softly told her and grasped around her. She had her hands firmly pressed over her eyes and kept on screaming and kicking for his arms. "Trixie, everything is fine," he heard Chloe's voice from behind him, and finally her offspring stopped with its defence. He carefully picked her up and carried her over to her mother. Chloe wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter, being relieved to no end that she finally had her back in her arms, covering her with kisses and soothing whispers. Lucifer grabbed around Chloe and picked the both of them up, carefully carrying them out of the room and down the stairs. He made sure to shield the both of them from the body behind the couch, as he made his way around and gently put them down before he retrieved his phone and took a step back.

Chloe untangled the knot from the rope that was wrapped around her daughter's wrists and freed her. She quickly examined the areas for any damage. Finding only minor skin abrasions, she kissed the spots and then wrapped her daughter once again in a big hug.

"Mummy, you're bleeding!" Trixie cried out, straightened herself back, and pointed to the cut that couldn't be covered by the jacket.

"That's nothing, babe," she quickly assured her, slightly shaking her head to support her words. "It doesn't even hurt," she lied, hoping her face depicted all the right signs so her daughter would buy it, but Trixie only stared at her sceptically and shook her head in disbelief. She quickly hugged her daughter close again, planting further kisses on her child's face and head, and whispered into her ear, "Soon, they're gone. Don't worry, monkey. We're safe now... Lucifer saved us," she added quietly. She didn't know why, but somehow, she felt the need to point that out in particular, even though her daughter was smart enough to make these connections on her own, she realised when promptly Trixie's reply came, "I know that!" She pressed her child to her chest once again, running her hands up and down the little back, and looked for Lucifer. She had to turn her head fully around to watch Lucifer end a call, putting the phone back and walking over to them, a blanket in hand.

He carefully wrapped the blanket around them and sat down on the coffee table right next to the couch. "I've informed the police and medics. They are here in about 10 minutes. Can you two hold on for that long?" he asked, and gently rubbed across Chloe's back.

She stared at him, not quite knowing what to think of this completely atypical behaviour of his. Normally he wouldn't even wait to punish the bad people right away, but still, he was here, sitting in front of her and with them waiting for the police to arrive.

"Chloe, is something wrong?" Lucifer asked baffled. The way she looked worried him, and his mind wandered off, searching for a possible reason: The cuts he briefly saw on her body, with those two who seemed to be quite deep, were awful enough. But he wondered, if this bastard had maybe hurt her further, somewhere he couldn't see. Still...

"Lucifer," Chloe interrupted his train of thoughts, making him look up to her again. She pursed her lips, covered her child's visible ear and pressed her against her chest, and urged him, "I want you to punish him!"

Lucifer thought he misheard. "What?" it left his lips before he was even aware that he'd spoken.

"This maniac came into my house, killed the babysitter, took my child hostage and bound me to my bed," she told him in a hushed tone. The memory let her emotions well up again and she needed a deep breath to bite them back down. With gritted teeth, she went on, "He told me what he wanted to do to me, Lucifer. What he wanted to do to my daughter! And he is still up there, getting nothing in return." It wasn't just because of the fact that this man was still in the bedroom. She didn't know for how long he was knocked out, and she feared that when the police arrived he would be gone. She couldn't bear living with the knowledge that he was so close and could escape. He'd once found her, and he would again, no matter where she would hide. This mustn't happen! The fear her thoughts stirred up, brought tears to her eyes, and she took a low breath, briefly squinting her eyes, before she stared at Lucifer and ordered, "Punish him!"

He wanted nothing more than that. To be honest, for a moment up there he had intended to lunge at this maniac as soon as he spotted him on top of her, had wanted to beat the daylights out of him. But Chloe was more important to him. Her well-being was his top priority and under no circumstances would he ever leave her alone again. He was about to deny her when he saw single tears running down her face, and heard her whispered "please". His answer was a warm smile, and he gently cupped her cheeks, wiped away the liquid with his thumbs, and tenderly kissed her on the forehead. Leaving his lips locked with her smooth skin for a moment, he slowly pulled back, looked her in the eyes and stated in a hushed tone, "With the greatest pleasure. I won't need long." He stood up, taking a couple of steps from the couch away, before he announced "cover the child's ears" and jogged up the stairs.

Lucifer opened the door to the bedroom, stepped inside, and closed it shut behind him. It didn't even take a second and all the emotions he felt when he first stepped into the room on this day flared up inside of him. And he was determined to give this bastard a piece of his mind. He walked over to the man who was still lying unconscious on the ground, head down, and kicked with his foot against his lower leg. "Hey, get up you skunk," he called gravelly, and kicked the man once more, this time against his thigh. Slowly the security guard started to stir.

"What happened?" he mumbled, confused and unsure of where he was for a moment. But he didn't have time to think about it when suddenly two strong hands grabbed him and lifted him up as if he weighed nothing. He was thrown onto the bed and before he knew what was happening, a body pinned him down.

"You despicable, filthy little excuse of humankind," Lucifer spat, grabbed the guard's neck and stared down at him with black, hate-filled eyes. "You dared to touch _my Chloe_!" he hollered darkly.

The guard blinked, and then, when his eyes focussed on the familiar person, he chuckled deeply. "You finally came to join the game," he quipped and with a sudden jerk he jolted up with his upper body in an attempt to push him off of himself. But Lucifer didn't even need much effort to block off his arms and push him down again. He tried it a second time, but this time he didn't even manage to rear up. Lucifer held him pressed into the mattress with ease, one of his hands was around his neck again, squeezing tightly, giving him only so much air that he could speak, while the other pressed the wrist of his right hand down, almost crushing his bones. He was surprised by the unusual strength and that he couldn't oppose it, and slowly a feeling of uncertainty and fear spread through him and he quietly asked, "Are you gonna kill me now?"

Lucifer shook his head, an evil grin made its way all over his face. "I will do something much worse than that!" he replied with glee and let his fiery red eyes flash up.

/-/

Chloe pressed her hands firmer above her daughter's ears when her sight wandered around and she spotted Maze's MP3-player lying on the coffee table. She quickly grabbed it and untangled the cord.

"That's Maze's. We're not allowed to take it," Trixie cried out, confused about her behaviour, and slightly scared about Lucifer's and her Mum's mumbled words before.

"It's OK, monkey. This is an exception," Chloe assured her, trying to let her voice sound soothing but the nervousness beat her to it. She inserted the earplugs into her child's ears. Then she switched the device on and heard loud metal music blaring through the plugs.

"That's too loud," Trixie complained, trying to get these things out of her ears, but her mother held her back, only pressing her closer to her and holding tight.

"I know, but it won't take long," she promised, mumbling into her child's hair. She squinted her own eyes shut and locked away the start of guilt and fear that welled up inside of her. Her sight wandered over to the stairs, and suddenly a piercing scream resounded, vibrating its way down into her marrow. She instantly jerked, pulled her daughter as close as possible and grabbed the blanket tighter around the two of them, to shield them from further screams that echoed through the house. Her body shivered from her nerves' overload and she took a couple of deep breaths to compose herself. There was no time to break down now. She needed to stay strong. For her daughter, and for herself.

As suddenly as the screams started, they were over again. It didn't take long and Lucifer strolled down the stairs, a pleased smile on his lips, buttoning up his cuffs. He walked back to them, a casual swing in his hips, and sat back down on the coffee table.

"Is he-?" Chloe began but broke off. She didn't dare to complete the question, knowing that she was partly in it if the answer would be ' _yes_ '.

Lucifer shook his head, flashing her an assuring smile. "Of course not!" he replied calmly, and leant forward, closer to Chloe and her daughter. Then he grabbed the cords to both Trixie's ears, pulled the plugs out, and stopped the music from playing. He turned his eyes to the child, waiting for her full attention before he continued, "But he won't hurt anyone ever again. You're safe now. Both of you," he ended, his head turned back to Chloe while he said it.

Chloe sighed, relieved; not only because this man up there would be no threat to anyone anymore in the future. She was also massively relieved that he was still alive. She wouldn't be able to explain this to her Lieutenant otherwise, and feared for Lucifer's safety if this hadn't been the case. Guilty or not, against the devil himself, no one seemed to be evil enough in the eyes of normal humans. But she wasn't normal anymore. She knew better. She knew Lucifer. She sent him an affirming smile, accompanied by a light nod and a whispered, "Thank you!"

"You're welcome," he mouthed and drowned in the sea blue of her two sapphires. Absent-mindedly, he shifted a little forward on the table, decreasing the space between him and her. And while his hand continued to run soothing circles on Chloe's back, his lips came closer and closer to hers, as if they were magically drawn to each other. When their faces were only a mere inch apart...

"Are you two kissing now?" Trixie's voice piped up, making both adults instantly bolt away as if they were set on fire.

"No! We didn't!", "That's not what it looked like!" they both stammered, their cheeks colouring slightly in a shade of red.

"Police! Open up!" A shout was heard from the outside, getting all three's attention, quickly followed by ramming sounds, and the door sprung open. Several cops rushed into the room, guns at the ready.

"The culprit is upstairs in the master bedroom," Lucifer chirped cheerfully. Who would have thought that he, for once in his life, would be glad to see the cops.

They spread out, two officers remained close to them, while the rest made their way towards said direction.

Not long after, and two EMTs came inside, bringing a stretcher along. Lucifer beckoned them over. "Chloe here needs a medic!" he informed them, standing up from his seat and pointing at her.

Chloe rolled her eyes at his behaviour. She never liked the attention, even if she needed it. Lowering her head down to her daughter, she told her calmly, "Please go to Lucifer. Mummy needs a check-up. OK?"

"No!" Trixie objected and wrapped her tiny arms around her mother. Regardless of all the things she'd been through today, leaving her mother's secure arms, went over the top.

Chloe looked up to her partner, calling his name to get his attention and he nodded his understanding, before he lowered himself down, grasped around the child and gently pulled her away. Trixie whined in protest, but when she was firmly seated around his hip, she locked her legs and arms around him and petulantly buried her face into his neck.

The EMTs quickly rushed over to Chloe, and Lucifer took some steps backwards to give them the needed space. One of them talked to Chloe and then, briefly inspected the wounds on her wrists, chest, and ankles before he turned around and informed his partner. Then he picked Chloe up and carefully placed her on the stretcher. He moved her out of the house while his partner turned to Lucifer.

"Sir, can I treat your wounds?" she asked and directly pointed to his face.

' _Ah!_ ' Lucifer thought, and politely declined. "These are old wounds. They don't need treatment," he informed her and flashed her a smile.

She nodded, a low mumbled "alright" sent into his direction, as she already stepped forward to Trixie. She moved her arms towards her, announcing, "I'll take the child."

As if on cue, Trixie started to scream into Lucifer's shirt, and tightened her death-grip around him. Lucifer turned himself halfway to bring her out of the EMT's reach. He raised his hand, holding the woman back from coming closer, and glared at her warningly. "The child is fine!" he told her, making very clear that Trixie was not to be touched.

Both the EMT's eyebrows shot skywards and she nodded. "OK. We're bringing her mother to the hospital. Do you want to come with us or drive alone?" she asked calmly.

"We'll come with you," he informed her with a quick nod. "But let me grab something for the child first. I doubt that it's useful to leave her just in her pyjamas."

"Alright," the EMT nodded. "But please don't take too long, those cuts need proper treatment," she replied, nodded once more and turned around, grabbing the medical bag and following her partner outside.

Lucifer turned his head to the little bundle in his arm. Except for the tight grasp around him, she didn't seem to stir in the slightest. He was sure, even if he let go of his steadying grip around her, that she wouldn't move one bit, but he didn't dare to try that out. The devil would be nothing against a mother's rage if something happened to her child, and he definitely didn't need to find out Chloe's boiling point. Still, having the offspring so firmly locked around him, acting completely atypical for her, vexed him. Even if it was understandable, considering what she'd been through, he didn't quite know what to do with her. Hoping he could at least bring her to interact with him, he asked soothingly, "Do you want some chocolate cake?" Her only reply was a low grumble and a slight twitch of her shoulders. He stared at her, pondering. "Is it some cash then?" Again, her reply wasn't really something that could be counted as such. He put some more effort into it and rummaged around in the back of his head, trying to find something useful. But all he could remember was the short chapter in that marriage book he'd read during the sting operation. He sighed, tilted his head, and looked at her, hoping she would finally start to react. Still not doing so, he eventually conceded defeat. At least those pages were useful in the end and not a complete waste of time, he thought to himself when he stepped around the couch, heading for the child's room.

"Very well!" he mumbled and opened the door, silently reminding himself of the core themes from the book, "Protection and comfort." He walked over to the bed, and grinned as he quickly found the first piece: Ninja Kitty! He remembered the words Chloe had used when he first had spotted the toy; that her daughter had sent her with to protect her. He smiled to himself, grabbed the stuffed toy, and gently pressed it against Trixie, trying to get it stuck under the child's arm. And finally, with a move that was too fast to see even for a fly's eye, she locked her arm around the toy, holding it tightly between her elbow and his chest, while her fingers grabbed his shirt, pinching into his skin like tiny needles. "Good girl!" Lucifer praised her softly, ignoring the pain that shot through his nerves and flashing her a smile, even though she didn't see it. Then he turned his attention to the next item on his mental checklist. Opening first the cupboards, then the wardrobe, he eventually made out a blanket that was stuffed in the lower back between other items. Approving of it, he pulled it out, not caring that in the process the upper part of the other stuff fell out of the wardrobe and spread over the floor. "Now off to your mother, child," he announced, carefully wrapped the blanket around Trixie, and turned around, heading for the exit and to Chloe.

When Lucifer stepped into the ambulance van, Chloe was already secured on the stretcher, an IV coming from out of the back of her hand was connected to a bag filled with a clear liquid that hung from the ceiling, providing her with the necessary fluids she needed to maintain her blood pressure.

"Mummy!" Trixie cried out as she saw her with closed eyes, fearing for the worst.

Lucifer ran his hand up and down her back, trying to comfort her while he sat down on the seat opposite to Chloe.

"Don't worry," the EMT soothed her. "I've just given your mum something so she can relax and doesn't feel any pain. She is fine, for the moment. Do you want to hold her hand on the way to the hospital?" the man asked her kindly.

Trixie nodded at him and then looked up to Lucifer, not quite knowing what to do with Ninja Kitty in her arm, which would fall to the ground if she let go of it. Lucifer nodded at her, and took the toy, holding it fast, while Trixie's small hand locked itself with her mother's large one.

The EMT closed the doors, took a seat himself, and signalled his partner that they were ready to go.

/-/

Lucifer stood in the large hallway, half between the exit area and the treatment room where Chloe was behind, lightly swaying his hip from side to side. After they'd left the ambulance van and Trixie lost sight of her mother again, she didn't move one limp and he almost assumed that she had fallen asleep in his arms, wasn't it for the little fingers that scratched over his shirt from time to time. Whenever she did so, his hand ran up and down her back, soothing her distressed feelings. Even he, who didn't know much about little humans, could see that the day had taken a big toll on that little lady.

"Lucifer!"

He heard his name being called and turned around, seeing Maze running towards them, and directly sent her a wide smile. His own feelings he'd locked away deep inside of him wanted to break out again at the sight of his reliable companion, but he bit them back. There was no time for him now to break down. Especially not in front of his demon. After all, he had a reputation to maintain.

"Where is that scumbag?" she raged, but quickly went silent by his warning stare.

"Watch your words, Mazikeen," he reprimanded her gravelly, and added calmly, "The child is listening." Seeing her nod, he smiled approvingly, turned himself fully to her, and, without warning, dropped the child off into her arms, along with toy and blanket.

Maze puffed at the sudden weight, her knees slightly gave way as she struggled to fully catch her. She managed nevertheless and smiled proudly that she neither dropped the child nor the additional stuff. "Hey little human," she greeted her and got welcomed with a crushing hug. After Trixie was securely settled on her hip, Maze turned her attention back to her master. "I thought I was here to catch that," she quickly broke off when Lucifer raised his finger, warning her to not speak any further.

"I've already taken care of that human _example_ ," he emphasised the word, making clear his loathing against that person. "I need you to take care of the child. Chloe is still in the treatment room and I need both my hands when she comes out, so I can take care of her." He paused, briefly looking at the clock in the hallway, before he continued, "It's too late for the child to stay up, anyway."

"And where do you think shall I take her?" Maze inquired, and continued with a hushed tone, "Our house is still a crime scene, and full of forensics and police, most probably."

"To LUX, of course!" he answered matter-of-factly and stretched his lips into a smug smile. "I'll go later and get some clothes for the child, but not before I've spoken to Chloe first."

"OK," Maze replied, nodding at him that she'd understood. "And you're OK?" she asked further and pointed at his white shirt which was coloured in dark red in the middle.

Lucifer briefly looked down at him and swallowed quickly. He put his smile back on, even though it didn't reach his eyes this time, and assured his companion, "Not my blood. No worries."

Maze nodded her understanding and decided it was best not to ask any further. She turned around and walked back out of the hallway. Something shot back into her mind, and she stopped for a second, furrowing her brows, before she continued walking. She lowered her face to Trixie and mumbled against her ear, "Since when does Lucifer call your mum 'Chloe'?"

/-/

Lucifer sat in the chair he'd pulled right next to the bed, watching over her dozing figure since she'd been rolled into the room. He stared at her, his eyes switching from the IV plug on her hand that lie on the pillow next to her head, to the long blonde curls around her face, their ends wet from when the nurses had cleaned her up from all the blood that stuck to her. One end of a large patch stuck out from under the hospital gown, triggering his mind over and over again to go back to the moment when he got sight of her in her bedroom. Still, he couldn't get his eyes to turn away from the spot. As if part of him wanted to punish himself for not being there sooner, for not having prevented her agony from happening in the first place.

Chloe stirred. Reflexively, she moved her head slightly up and down, brushing across the pillow with her cheek, and finally, Lucifer was able to avert his gaze from the result of his failure. Slowly her eyes opened and he straightened himself in the chair, greeting her with a warm smile and the very familiar words, "Look who's back."

Chloe's lips stretched into a wide grin when she beheld him, the assurance that he was still there calmed her wholly. Her lids were heavy from the exhaustion in combination with the painkillers; closing them again, she took a big, refreshing breath of air, and then, with new strength, opened her eyes fully. She briefly glanced around the room. "Where's Trixie?" she asked, full of worry.

"She's with Maze," Lucifer informed her straightaway, not wanting her to have any more distressing feelings. Going a bit more into detail, he went on, "At LUX. Probably fast asleep by now, well, she was already halfway to dreamland while we waited for you to be treated." He paused and took a low breath. His eyes wandered quickly from hers down to the patch before they sprang back, and he added, "I've already called Dan. I told him what happened, but that the both of you are fine. He will arrive tomorrow morning at LUX and will take care of your little one."

Chloe nodded, digesting the information. She flashed him a faint, but all the more relieved smile, before she replied, "Thanks! For taking care of us, and everything."

He hiked his shoulders, still not used to getting credits. "Had nothing else to do, anyway," he shrugged it off. "You took ages in there in the treatment room," he complained in his usual cheerful voice, bending a bit forward to decrease the gap between them, and allowing her sweet scent, that still lingered on her between all those artificial flavours of detergent and disinfection, to tickle his nostrils.

She chuckled quietly and countered in an equal tone, "Well, it would have taken a lot less time if not a certain high-fashioned club owner insisted that only the most renowned plastic surgeon from L.A., who apparently still owed him a favour, was treating me. They had to fly him in with a helicopter!"

Lucifer grinned at her, his sight briefly turned down to the floor to hide the light flush that coloured his cheeks, before he managed to lock it away and put his cocky smile back on, looking back at her. He sighed and relief mixed with pain flashed up in his eyes, as he replied, "Just the best for you, my dear."

"The surgeon said that only the two big cuts might leave a scar behind, but it will be a very thin one, and if I keep them out of direct sunlight for the next half year, they're going to be very light," she explained to him, visibly glad that at least no physical remnants would be left on her.

His glance wandered from her face down to the hand that lay closest to him, and he sighed. How badly he wanted to hold her hand in his, he thought, but quickly pushed it away. He couldn't, right? Not before she allowed him to; not before she made the first step; not before...' _Heck, weren't they way beyond that?'_ it suddenly shot through his head. Didn't they endure enough already? Wasn't it time that he made the first move and held her, and let her decide if she wanted or not? Lucifer silently sighed again. His sight switched between her hand and her eyes. It took him a moment, but then he shifted in his chair, bent forward, and carefully grasped his fingers around her hand. He waited if she would pull back or show any other form of protest, but there was none. And so he lifted her hand and lay it back down into his other, feeling her delicate and slightly cold fingers between his two large and warm hands as he tenderly caressed her skin. "You scared the hell out of me," he whispered truthfully, his eyes lingering at their hands. Looking back up to her, he added with a smirk, "Pun intended."

Chloe chuckled. But his words also let the memories flare up again, bringing back all those emotions like an onrushing storm. And her chuckles quickly turned into sobs.

"Please don't," Lucifer hushed, feeling despair and guilt washing over him. He quickly grasped around her, pulling her close. And his hand ran soothing circles over her back, while his lips planted soft kisses on her temple. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry," he whispered, gently squeezing her hand he'd still encompassed.

She slightly shook her head, snuffling audibly and using her other hand to wipe away the tears from her cheek. "No!" she disagreed quietly. "I'm sorry!" Pushing him lightly away from her so she could look back into his eyes, she repeated, "I'm so very sorry for the way I reacted towards you. I should have trusted you. I should have believed you. I know you. And I'm so sorry that my fears got the better of me," she apologised again and fresh tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't be," he replied soothingly. He moved his hand from her back up to her cheeks to wiped the moisture off. Then, he placed his hand on the side of her face; his fingertips buried into her hair, his thumb caressed her cheek, and he relished the feeling of her soft skin beneath them. "You're actually reacting quite well to the truth about me," he praised her and flashed her another one of his warm, honest smiles. "Linda didn't talk to me for over a week, remember?"

"She didn't have a crash course in what it really means to be evil," she replied, trying to make it sound cheerful, to raise the mood. But she failed miserably. "Still," she shook her head, being too strict on herself to simply forgive her own actions. "I could have behaved a lot better. Especially up there in your apartment. I shouldn't have made such a scene."

"Really?" Lucifer stared at her, one eyebrow raised in bewilderment. "Because how I see it is that, hadn't you come up to me and told me the things you did, I never would have followed you." He moved his fingers further through her hair until they reached one of her strands. He picked it up and tickled her cheek with it, trying to conjure a smile back on her face, to give her the antidote to her sadness, but somehow it didn't quite work. Her features remained sad.

"I was scared of you, Lucifer," she whispered and stared at him, determined and angry about herself. "And not because of something you did, or something you said," she went on and her voice grew louder and steadier. "No! I was scared because I trusted the things I read in books about you more than the things I experienced while being with you. And I shouldn't have," she concluded, shaking her head while her eyes remained fixed on him, revealing all the warm feelings she had for him.

Lucifer sighed. How could he convey to her that it wasn't her fault how she reacted to him? That it was actually good that she showed up on his doorsteps, because otherwise... "Well then, if you really want it that way," he started, straightened himself, and prompted, "Tell me, how should you have reacted preferably?"

"I shouldn't have come to you in the first place," she answered fully convinced. "You told me over and over again that you're the devil. And I should have believed you. Because, you never, ever lied to me." Hearing that, Lucifer was about to interrupt her, but at the last second, he decided against it. "And when I saw the pictures," Chloe went on, unaware of his inner thought. "I should have had the faith and the certainty that you are still the person you've been for the past one and a half years. That you wouldn't hurt anyone ever."

"Alright," Lucifer nodded. "Now let's follow your thought. What would you have done instead, after you've seen the pictures?"

"I would have gone home, burned the evidence. And I-" she stopped abruptly, suddenly realising a very important fact she hadn't thought through. "This creep would still have been there," she mumbled to herself, but loud enough for Lucifer to hear it as well.

"Correct!" he confirmed her with a sound voice. "And where would I have stayed?"

Remembering their talk from inside the ambulance van, right after the residents of the community had been arrested, and her words that she had wanted this day completely for herself and would visit him only the day after, Chloe answered quietly, "At LUX."

"Exactly!" Lucifer affirmed her. He moved his hand back onto her cheek, caressing her, as he continued in a hushed tone, "I would never have known that you were in danger." Voicing out loud his deepest fear brought tears to his eyes. He quickly blinked them away, and sighed deeply, calling himself back to order. When he felt his composure was strong enough, he proceeded, "You remember that one night when I woke up from a nightmare?" She nodded, and Lucifer went on, "I dreamt that you were dead! And that was a feeling I never wanted to experience in real life. But today, when I saw you on that bed, with that bastard over you, hurting you so badly, my nightmare came very much alive." He paused, swallowing down the sudden lump in his throat. "I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't have saved you in time," he admitted low-voiced, and his sight went from her to an invisible spot on the ground, fixing it while he tried to hold back the emotions that threatened to break out. With his voice slightly shaking, he ended, "But I know that I never want to feel that ever again." He looked back up to her, directly into her eyes. He flashed her a sad smile and quickly wiped away the tears from his eyes before they could flee them.

Chloe swallowed hard. She wasn't prepared for that much insight into his feelings, regardless of how often she'd wished for it. "Did you... _feel_... that I was in danger?" she asked, not quite sure about that part.

Lucifer chuckled softly, amused by her innocent sounding question. "I'm still not a Jedi," he answered smugly and nudged the tip of her nose with his forefinger.

Chloe smiled at him warmly. Still, it didn't give her any peace of why all of a sudden, he was there. "Why have you come after me, then?"

"Well," he started and cleared his throat, straightening himself in his seat. His hand moved from her cheek into the pocket of his trousers, grabbing something before he withdrew his hand again, hovering it briefly between the two of them and then revealing the ring, holding it between his thumb and forefinger.

"My ring!" it blurted out of her before she could stop herself. "I mean, the ring you bought for the undercover operation," she quickly corrected.

"No, no!" he objected and lightly shook his head. "You were right the first time. This is _your_ ring! And I wanted to give it back to you."

"Lucifer, I can't take it," Chloe declined right away. "This ring must have cost a fortune. And why should I keep a wedding ring that reminds me of a marriage we faked to arrest a bunch of murderers?"

Lucifer smiled sadly. "I don't know. I just thought that... ," he shrugged his shoulders, lost for words. In his mind, he never played things through. So now, he didn't know why exactly she should keep it. He just knew that it belonged to her. "Well," he started again, buying himself some time to think about it. "I know that we played a fake couple, but during our time there..." He took a deep breath. Talking about feelings still wasn't his speciality, especially not when it came to his own. But he needed to get that off of his chest so that she would understand. "Well... What I felt for you, what I still feel for you... is real." He had to pause. Having finally spoken those words, their weight that had pressed down on his heart for so long suddenly was lifted off. His body became so light, that for a moment he thought he would fly away. And he needed to get used to that first. "I know I can't speak for you, but I sensed that you, too, didn't act."

Chloe stared at him with wide eyes, her mind completely blank. She didn't dare to interpret what he just told her, for her own sake. "Lucifer, this is a wedding ring. For people who want to get married because they love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together," she carefully explained to him the meaning of such a gesture.

Lucifer sighed again. It was much easier when Linda talked to him about feelings when she explained them to him. Maybe he should have called her to let her talk to Chloe. But then again, this was something he alone needed to tell her. "Exactly," he whispered.

That was everything she ever dreamt of, and more. But still, the joy about his kind of confession didn't want to set in. Slowly, her mind filled itself up with reasoning and doubt, and she shook her head. "We can't do this."

"Why not?" His voice was an octave higher than normal. He simply couldn't understand what else they needed than love for each other and the will to spend the rest of their lives together.

Chloe stared at the big question mark in his face, and she sighed. She hated that once again she had to be the voice of reason. "We live in two different worlds, Lucifer," she answered, and clarified, "And with that, I don't just mean that you're the rich party guy, and I'm the homely Detective. We are literally of different kinds. What if we clash? Not today, or tomorrow, but someday. What if we realise the hard way that it doesn't work out? Could you live with a broken heart? Because I can't! Not again!" she ended with tears in her eyes.

Lucifer's mind was blank for a moment. Not because he had no answers to her questions. He just didn't know how to express them. His gaze wandered down to their hands that, without anyone noticing it, were now firmly intertwined. He smiled, gave her hand a tender squeeze, and looked back at her. "I am very adaptable," he simply answered. "I'm very fond of this world and its people. I think you'd agree that I'm quite good at being mortal." He paused briefly to take a breath and think about her other words. Then he continued, determined, "And for the rest: We two didn't clash for the past time being together. True, there still is a lot to learn about each other. But I don't plan to change my character completely just because of that little metal," he explained and tapped onto his own ring. "I'm quite sure you won't either. And if this whole sting operation had one good thing shown to us, then that we fit together. Perfectly."

"But..." Chloe still couldn't allow herself to believe that her dream would come true. "What about the Brittanys, and all your other flings?" she voiced the doubt from her mind."I'm not the type of person who shares their spouse with other people." She didn't try to find a reason against his proposal. It was just... This was too good to be true...

"Chloe, they are meaningless," he objected and cupped her cheek again. His warm, dark brown eyes stared directly into her two sea blue sapphires. "Don't you understand?" he wondered, and his thumb briefly brushed over her lips. "You are heaven for me, Chloe. You are my home!" He looked attentively at her, waiting shortly, before he spoke on, "I'm not trading you for any insignificant being, from this world or any other. I'm not risking to lose you," he declared and supportively shook his head. "I want you, and only you, for the rest of your life."

Chloe blinked at him. She needed a moment to process his words, to digest their meaning. "I... I literally don't know what to say to that, right now."

"A ' _yes_ ' would be great," he countered cockily and flashed her a smug grin.

She caught her breath. Her whole guts were jubilating, the butterflies in her stomach awoke and wildly rumbled around, and the little teenage girl inside of her was jumping up and down, screaming the answer.

"Well, then yes," she replied with a shaky voice.

"Yes?" Lucifer repeated, just to make sure that she really meant it. Seeing her big smile and her eager nod, his grin also stretched from ear to ear. He carefully lowered his head, locking his lips on hers, and they sealed their promises with a long and tender kiss. "Yes!" he mumbled triumphantly after he broke the kiss. He lowered his hand, grasped around her and pulled her closer, smothering her giggles with another intensive kiss. Then he straightened himself a little, grabbed her hand, carefully placing the ring onto her finger, and announced cheekily, "You're officially mine now!" He lowered his head back down, and their mouths met in another passionate kiss.

Their tongues danced with each other, but only for a brief moment before Chloe pulled back, too worried he might collapse if they would continue. "Are you absolutely sure about that?" she checked with him again, a slight frown on her head.

Lucifer's answer was a clear nod. "I'll never let you go again," he added before he locked his lips back on hers.

Chloe pulled back again, suppressing the smirk that wanted to spread her lips at his grumbled protest. "Because if you change your mind tomorrow...,"

"I won't!" he quickly cut her off and silenced further words with another kiss. "Never!" he mumbled against her mouth and kissed her again. "You're stuck with me now!" Another kiss. "Until the day you die!" He pressed his lips firmly onto hers, hugging her tighter.

When both their lungs started to protest, they broke the kiss again, to inhale some much-needed air. Lucifer grinned at her like a Cheshire cat. And Chloe stared back at him with wide eyes and a half open mouth. She was flabbergasted. "I can't believe I just said 'yes'," she whispered in awe and looked down at the ring on her hand, admiring how much more beautiful it suddenly had become, just because of its different meaning. "To the devil," she added absent-mindedly, but was quickly brought back into the here and now by a loud snickering. "Did I say that aloud?" she asked sheepishly, her attention back to the man next to her, her cheeks lightly coloured in pink.

He nodded, still smirking, and teased her, "Well, you won't get out of that now, not anymore."

She grinned back at him before her eyes wandered once again to the ring on her finger. "Wow! I'm marrying the devil," she repeated to herself, half of her still couldn't believe it. A large hand appeared in her visual field, gently intertwining with her fingers and moving her hand to the side. Her eyes followed them and watched as Lucifer pressed a tender kiss onto her knuckles before he rested her hand against his cheek. "I can't wait to tell Trixie," she commented, not able to keep her lips from stretching this time. "She will freak out."

"Ah, your daughter," it suddenly shot through his head at the reminder. "I told Maze that I would come by and bring some clothes for your offspring. So she has something to wear for the next day," he informed her.

"Not even married, and you're already a great dad," she teased him and chuckled as he pulled a disapproving face.

"The child has a dad! I'm completely fine with belonging only to you," he purred, quickly pecked her lips, and added, "I'll pack some for you, too. It might take a little while, but I'll come back right after."

"That would be great. I'd feel better if I could wear something else than this," she replied and pointed to the gown. "Thanks for doing that."

"No need to thank me for. I want you out of this hospital as quickly as possible, too," he countered, and the smug smile was back on his face when he added, "And I don't want anyone to stare at your cute butt when you would still be dressed in that gown." He winked at her and got instantly rewarded with an eased giggle. Kissing her goodbye, he stood up from his seat. His hand rubbed caringly over hers and he assured her, "I won't take too long."

"OK," Chloe replied, and let her head drop back onto the pillow, exhaling a relaxing sigh.

The smile on Lucifer's face shortly vanished, when he affirmed her, "You're safe in here, Chloe."

"I know," she answered, nodding, and sent him a warm smile.

Reaching the door, he turned back to her, promising, "I will come back to you."

"I know," Chloe repeated, the hint of a smile still on her lips. She waved him goodbye and watched him leaving the room, closing the door, and his silhouette disappearing behind the frosted glass window.

/-/

Lucifer stepped out of the elevator, walking right into his living room, and placed a big bag, packed with needful stuff, on the ground in front of Maze. "Where's the child?" he wondered, looking around.

Maze raised up from the couch she was sitting on, tilting her head. "Hello to you, too," she greeted him, slightly annoyed, but answered him straightaway, "She's in your bedroom. Fast asleep."

Without further words, he turned around, heading for the room to take a quick look at the girl. Trixie's head was turned to the windows, her right arm firmly around Ninja Kitty, the blanket he'd chosen for her peeping out from under the black silk covers. Then he noticed something metal in her left hand. He cautiously sat down on the edge of the bed, spotting the dagger her fingers were wrapped around. Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, he carefully removed the weapon from out of her grip. Slowly, to not wake her up. But it was too late! With a fast move, her little fingers had encompassed his wrist and held onto him, tightly.

Trixie stirred and turned her head, her half-open eyes looking at him. "Where's mummy?" she mumbled sleepily, a worried frown on her head.

Lucifer grinned at her and mentioned, "Your mum also asked for you first." Bending a bit down, so he could keep his voice low, he answered, "She's in the hospital. But she's doing fine. The doctors did a great job treating her, and she can be released soon." After a pause, to see if the girl had understood his words, he gently ordered, "Go back to sleep now." He wanted to stand up, but the fingers around his wrist didn't let go.

Trixie pulled at his arm, getting back his attention. "Where you going?" she asked further, too late at night for her to use proper syntax.

"Back to your mum," he informed her straightforwardly. "Don't worry. Maze will stay here. She'll protect you. You don't need to be afraid."

"Am not!" her little voice rose in protest. Then her eyes sprang fully open, and she added with a crystal clear voice, "I know the bad people won't hurt me! They are afraid of you. And you're my friend. So, they are afraid of me, too." Lucifer chuckled at her naïve logic. Trixie only kept staring at him, deeply frowning again. "But they're not afraid of my mummy. You need to protect her, Lucifer," she told him in all earnestness.

"I will, child," he affirmed her calmly. "No worries. I won't let your mother out of my sight again." He nodded, reaffirming. "That's why I have to get back to her quickly."

Trixie nodded her understanding and let go of his arm. "Goodbye hug?" she asked in an innocent tone, stretching out her arm to him.

Lucifer sighed, not really wanting to be so close to the child, but he was in a too good mood to argue with her on that. Plus, Trixie had been through a lot today and had shown more braveness than most of the sinners down in hell. So, he concluded to himself, she deserved a little cuddle time with the devil. He bent down, and her small arm quickly clasped around his neck, pulling him into her with a strength that was beyond her age. He politely patted her back, silently hoping she would let go of him. Suddenly she turned her head, and he felt her wet lips pressed against his cheek before she quickly released him and dropped back onto the pillow. Lucifer jerked and shuddered in disgust, grimacing while he hastily wiped the moisture from his cheek. "Off to sleep now, child," he ordered in a firmer voice and sprang up from the bed before the small human could plan her next attack.

Trixie giggled at his funny reaction. "Goodnight, Lucifer," she replied and waved at him briefly, adding, "And say goodnight to my mummy, too, please." She turned around, holding her toy tight, and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep as fast as only a child could manage.

"Will do," he replied in a hushed tone. His gaze lingered on her for another short while, before he shook himself out of his stare and turned around, leaving the room.

He made a bee-line to Maze, holding the dagger up, and telling her reproachfully, "That's not a sleeping toy."

"What?" Maze glared at him, miffed about his tone, not understanding what she did wrong. "She wanted something to protect herself. This one isn't even sharp," she huffed and folded her arms. "I won't give her sharp tools until she knows how to use them," she mumbled under her breath.

Lucifer tossed the dagger on the couch, ending the discussion. He turned around and walked to the bar, fishing for one of the few bottles that were still in one piece, and grabbing two glasses. Then he walked over to the piano, putting everything onto its cover. He poured two fingers into the first glass and shoved it towards Maze.

She stared at him, perplexed. "Something's not right!" she noted and grabbed the glass, twisting it around in her hand while attentively studying her master's features.

"How come?" Lucifer asked nonchalantly and poured himself a drink as well.

"You're in a too good mood," she pinpointed, observing the light smile that played around his lips. "Some sick bastard had just invaded Chloe's home, had tortured her, and was about to kill her, and you didn't go berserk," she stated matter-of-factly. As if this wasn't enough, she continued listing all of the odd things, "Then, when I came in here, I found pictures of you and the detective, during some horizontal sport." With a more casual tone, she tossed in, "I'm glad I had my fingers on that file faster than the little human," before she went on warily, "So, someone out there must know who you really are. Maybe even the Detective herself, but you don't seem to be worried about that in the slightest." She observed him further, attentively waiting for a hint of anger, but there was none. And that bugged her even more. "And," she paused to raise the tension, "you just poured me a drink."

"Well," Lucifer replied joyfully, considering her words for a moment, and grabbed his glass, taking a sip. Out of the corners of his eyes, he watched Maze mimicking his gesture. "I've just proposed to Chloe," he announced, and Maze instantly spluttered her drink all over the grand. Some of the liquid had gone down her windpipe and she coughed heavily to get it back out. Then she wiped her mouth dry with the back of her hand, staring disbelievingly at her master. Lucifer's smile spread all over his face. Completely unperturbed by her reaction, he added cheerfully, "And she accepted!" He raised his glass, saluting in Maze's direction and drinking the rest in one go.

/-/

It was almost midnight when the nurse on duty took her round to apply the medications to her patients. Light-footed, she headed towards the first room on her list, silently opening the room and stepping inside. It was only lit by the little bedside table lamp but she could clearly make out her patient, tightly embraced with the gentleman who had waited for her during treatment, both fast asleep. She smiled to herself and quickly left the room again.

Back outside in the hallway, one of the doctors who had treated the young woman stepped to her, asking her concerned, "Did you give Mrs Decker her medication, yet?"

The nurse smiled at the doctor, calmly shaking her head. "I checked on her, though. And I saw that she already has all the remedies she needs," she informed him with another warm smile, turned around and walked away.

~ ~ THE END ~ ~

~ Well... I couldn't help myself ~

o ~ o

10 days later

o ~ o

Chloe watched Trixie running from one end of the house to the other before her eyes wandered over to Lucifer next to her, and she stared at him sceptically, one eyebrow raised.

"And? What do you think?" Lucifer asked, grinning, not in the slightest bit intimidated by the look on her face.

"The garage outside is bigger than my first home!" she answered dryly.

"Pah! You're exaggerating," he discounted her argument with a wave of his hand and turned his attention to the open floor view.

Chloe swiftly shook her head and folded her arms, following his gaze over to the railing from the first floor, before she fixed her eyes on the man next to her again. "Lucifer, we don't need a 200 square metres big house," she calmly objected.

Lucifer turned around to her, baffled and with a hint of disappointment. "But this one has all the criteria you wrote down!" he complained and instantly started to list them, "It's in a very secure, very nice and not at all murderous neighbourhood. It's still within the range you set me for the offspring's school. It has a playground nearby. It has a garden. The newest alarm system. And the child's room is towards the back of the house." He took a quick breath before he continued with all the extra things, "She even has her own little bathroom!" he pointed out. "Well, we two will have to share one, but I'm sure you don't mind having me in your big, cosy bathtub," he purred and leant into her, aiming for her neck to lock his lips down.

Chloe quickly shoved him away, her hand, however, remained on his chest, lightly running up and down, until she gained enough self-control to pull it away. "Not here, in front of Trixie," she cautioned him and watched her daughter running towards them, just to evade last minute and run past them, heading for the kitchen area.

"Speaking off, why exactly did she have to come along?" he wondered and took a step towards Chloe, teasingly grabbing her and boldly squeezing her butt. "We could have inaugurated each room in our own special way," he lasciviously whispered into her ear and started nibbling at her earlobe.

"Exactly because!" Chloe countered and took a step backwards to bring some space between them, turning herself halfway to her daughter, to watch how she inspected the kitchen equipment.

"They have chocolate cake!" Trixie suddenly shouted, the big fridge door in her hand. She grabbed the sweet, closed the door shut with a loud bang, and dug into the treat, munching it away.

Chloe turned back to Lucifer, staring at him flabbergasted. "Are you trying to bribe my daughter?"

"Just wanted to make it a little homely for her," he retorted, cocking his head to the side. "There is also a big swimming pool in the garden. I can teach you how to swim," he continued as if nothing had happened. Chloe smirked at him, shaking her head, amused. He tilted his head in reply, wiggled his eyebrows and grinned at her lecherously, his gestures giving away the exact thought he had right now. Chloe's cheeks instantly turned deep red, and Lucifer had to bite his tongue to not laugh out loud. Without taking his eyes off of her, he addressed the young lady, "Offspring, don't you want to see your room? It's upstairs on the far right," he informed her and, quick like a shot, the girl ran past them again, heading straight for the stairs. He lowered his head to Chloe, adding in a hushed, seductive voice, "Far away from our bedroom, my dear."

Chloe cleared her throat, pushing away the pictures her mind instantly presented her and which pleasantly warmed her from within. Trying to change the subject, she replied, slightly nervous, "I get why you like that house so much," she broke off and had to force herself to avert her gaze from his leering lips so she was able to continue speaking. "I just think, it's a little too much for us."

"Chloe," he prolonged her name in a whining tone, all eroticism gone. "How can this house be too much?"

"It has a spiral slide next to the staircase," she riposted coolly, glad that her composure was back again.

Lucifer shrugged his shoulders, not seeing any sense in her answer. "So? You can use it in case you're late for work."

"Mummy, I have a swing!" Trixie shouted from out of her potential room, interrupting them.

Chloe sighed, rolling her eyes, and stared at him reproachfully, sparing a reply. When she heard her daughter suddenly scream "yes, yes, yes!" a queasy feeling crept up on her. "Lucifer," she called his name in a warning tone. "Did you buy my daughter one of those American Dolls?"

"Pfft. Of course not!" he answered, turning his head as if her question had insulted him. Then he turned back to her, grinning all over his face, and added smugly, "I bought her three!"

Her jaw dropped down to the floor. "We've spoken about that!" she moaned after finding her voice back.

"Uh-uh!" he countered, shaking his head. "You spoke. I just listened."

Once again they were interrupted by Trixie's voice as she slid down the slide with a loud "weee", one doll in her arms, and came running back to them. "Can we stay here? Can we? Please, Mummy, please!" she begged, jumping up and down.

"I haven't decided yet," Chloe dodged the answer. To be honest with herself, the house was too good to be true. But when she gave in to him now, she knew she would never see the end of this.

Trixie sat the doll down on the ground and ran back to the kitchen, finishing her cake. When she came running back, she asked excitedly, "Where is Maze's room?"

"Monkey, you know we've talked about this," Chloe replied in a silver voice and caringly stroke her daughter's hair. "Maze will stay in the apartment at LUX."

"But what about our movie Fridays?" the young girl asked and pouted, the corners of her lips pointing south.

Lucifer cleared his throat, seeing this as his opportunity to get further points for the house. "I think she can sleep in the guest room right next to the nanny's room," he answered, pointing towards the direction.

"A nanny's room?" Chloe repeated, dumbfounded. She was clearly against this. "I don't share my home with a complete stranger!"

"You were living with Maze!" Lucifer quickly retorted, turning his attention back to her, unperturbed by her threatening stare.

"Maze isn't a stranger! And I was single, back then," Chloe countered coolly. "I have babysitters who can take care of Trixie when I'm not around," she told him sternly.

"Well," Lucifer started, and took a deep breath. "After what happened to the last babysitter, I'm sure the others aren't too keen on working for you again." He innocently shrugged his shoulders, and added nonchalantly, "Besides, the little human has Spanish classes next year, and I ordered one from Mexico, so she can help with her homework. Don't worry, she already speaks English... Broken English," he added under his breath.

Chloe decided to ignore the word ' _ordered_ ', at least for now, and to state the more important question instead. "Please tell me this nanny has at least a legal permission to reside?"

Lucifer hemmed and hawed, lightly scratching the back of his neck to buy himself some time, before he cocked his head and replied, "She will have one, don't worry." Then he made a mental note to take care of that later.

Chloe closed her eyes and massaged her temples, feeling the beginning of a migraine coming along. Was this all really a good idea?

Lucifer knew this look from her. He'd seen it a lot in the past ten days, and he quickly suggested, "If you insist on it, there is enough space above the garage that can be extended to a single apartment. The nanny could live there. Then she's not in the house, technically."

She sighed, thinking it through. Approving of it, she slowly nodded. When she opened her eyes again, she saw her daughter's arms outstretched towards her.

"Can you pick me up, mummy?" Trixie asked, giving her her best pleading look.

Chloe shook her head. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I'm still not allowed to lift anything heavier than a feather," she explained to her. Seeing the look on her child's face almost broke her heart. But at least this was only temporarily. Soon the scars would be healed enough to do everything again she was capable of before the attack.

Trixie nodded at her, showing her understanding, and quickly turned to Lucifer, repeating her request, even though with much fewer words. "Pick me up!" she demanded.

Lucifer stared down at her, perplexed for a moment that she ordered him so sternly. But then again, he wouldn't have expected anything less from the Detective's offspring. _His_ Detective, he mentally corrected. He was about to bend down when he got sight of brown spots on Trixie's hands. "Is that chocolate cake?" he asked, aghast, and pointed at her fingers. "Child, this is Armani I'm wearing!" he reminded her, appalled, and reproachfully shook his head.

"Oh," Trixie blurted out, staring at her own hands. She quickly turned to her mother and wiped her hands clean on Chloe's trousers. Turning her attention back to Lucifer, she stretched her arms out to him again.

"Thanks, Trix," Chloe dryly commented her daughter's action as she looked down at her now dirty trousers, less than thrilled.

Lucifer glanced over at her, snickering quietly. Earning an angry glare from her, his snickering got louder. His attention, however, was quickly distracted, by someone pulling at his jacket. He looked down, seeing the child's arms still outstretched towards him, and sighed. Giving in, he grasped around her and picked her up, mumbling, "Please try not to ruin my suit too much." Trixie locked her arms and legs around him, grinning at him delightedly, before both faces turned to Chloe. "So, my dear. What do you say?" Lucifer asked her again, pricking his ears.

Chloe took a deep breath. Her eyes wandered around the house, and she silently admitted that she did like it. When she looked back at Lucifer, she answered, "I need to see the price for it before I'll give my final answer. If it's too expensive, then it's a _'no'_." She tilted her head, smiling apologetically at her daughter's sad face.

"Well, about that..." Lucifer started and scratched with his free hand lightly over his neck near the collar. "You don't need to worry about the price anymore," he came out with it. "I've already bought the house."

"Lucifer!" She stared at him, eyes and mouth wide open.

"The agent needed a decision last week. And you didn't have time for it then," he defended himself, his voice an octave higher than usual. After a moment of awkward silence, he continued, "If you don't want it, I can always buy you another one." When she narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips in anger, he quickly added, "And sell this again."

Chloe shook her head at him. She folded her arms into one another to keep herself from lunging forward. "We are not married," she grumbled through gritted teeth.

"Yet," Lucifer chirped and flashed her his best smile.

"There is still enough time for me to call it off," she threatened, albeit knowing it was an idle threat.

Lucifer glared at her. "Don't you dare and change your mind!" he warned her, gently grabbed her chin and pecked her lips, accompanied by Trixie's jolly giggles.

Chloe continued to stare at him for another moment. Then her features softened again, and she gave in with a roll of her eyes. "Alright, fine!"

"Yeah!" Trixie shouted jubilantly.

"Fabulous!" Lucifer countered smugly, grasped around Chloe, pulled her into him, and kissed her cheek. When he saw the ghost of a smile lingering on her lips, he nudged with his nose against her cheek, and whispered into her ear, "I can see that."

The smile instantly settled down on her face and Chloe turned around to him, pecked his cheek and snuggled into him.

The sudden ring of the doorbell brought their little moment to an abrupt end. Lucifer put Trixie back on the ground and headed for the door, opening it. Chloe watched his face instantly lighten up and saying "right on time," to someone outside the house. Then he turned his back fully to her and Trixie, exchanged something, and said his thanks. When he turned around, in one hand some papers, in the others a leash attached to a dog, her jaw wanted to hit the ground.

"A dog!" Trixie shouted exultantly and instantly ran to Lucifer.

"His name is Marshal," he informed her casually, giving her the leash, and leaving child and dog alone. He walked over to Chloe, who shot daggers at him.

"Really?!" she countered annoyed, shaking her head.

"This is not a pet dog, my dear," Lucifer explained and his nonchalant smile ceased down. "This is a guard dog. Highly trained. With the licence to bite butts." He leant into her, adding with a smug grin, "Not yours, of course. I'm the only one who is allowed to bite that," he purred. Chloe playfully slapped his chest, the smile back on her face. "I bought him to protect you and the child," he went on without missing a beat. "No one will be able to invade this home without his knowledge. Or to endanger you ever again, when I'm not around."

"And who'll protect you?" Chloe instantly replied with a worried frown.

"That's what you're for!" he countered smugly, leaning in to kiss her lips.

"Oh, and I thought you want me because you love me," Chloe countered teasingly.

"That's true," he whispered, kissing her lips again. Then he abruptly straightened himself back, addressing the child. "Trixie, why don't you go play outside with the dog."

"Alright," Trixie replied instantly, grabbing the leash and heading off.

"See, the dog already fulfils its duties," Lucifer murmured, his face a mere inch away from Chloe. He grasped around her, pulling her close to him, and added, "The child will be busy for at least the next half hour." His lips locked back on hers.

Chloe wrapped her arms around him, breaking the kiss to tease him some more, "Are you gonna show me some of that long stamina of yours, you've told me so much about?"

"You bet," he countered smugly, pulled her tighter, and kissed her again. His hands dug into her butt, while he lightly nibbled on her lower lip, requesting entry. She granted him quickly, and their kiss intensified.

"Ewwww," Trixie's disgusted shout suddenly interrupted them.

As if set on fire, they sprang apart. Lucifer stared at Chloe's deep red face, while he inquired, audibly miffed, "Anything you need, child?"

"I'm thirsty," she answered dryly.

Lucifer sighed, turned his head, and flashed her a smile. "Well, then, help yourself." He pointed towards the kitchen area. "You're old enough to grab the juice out of the fridge, aren't you?"

"Uh-huh," Trixie answered, a cheeky smile on her lips, as she turned around and went off.

"I can't wait for the child to be fast asleep," Lucifer whispered to Chloe when he turned his head back to her.

Chloe looked at him, sheepishly. "Well, about that...Could we wait until she's with her dad?" seeing the broken stare on his face, she quickly added, "I don't want her to walk in on us while we... She might not handle it very well when you suddenly change... colour," she paraphrased it nicely while her forefinger moved up and down in front of him, clarifying what she meant.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes at her, grumbling, "That happened _once_!"

"Yes, I know. But you know the saying: When it happens once, it might...," she trailed off, failing to keep her grin at bay any longer.

Lucifer growled quietly, grabbed her again, and locked his lips in the crook of her neck. Chloe shrieked at the sudden sensation before she quickly broke out in giggles. She held onto him, tightly, her hands gently rubbing his shoulders. After Lucifer let go of her neck again, done with marking her for the moment, he sighed and straightened his head back, attentively looking at her. "Alright, now tell me: What do you _really_ think of the house?" he asked genuinely.

Chloe took a quick breath, pursed her lips, and then smiled at him widely. "It's perfect!" she admitted and snuggled back into him.

"I knew it!" Lucifer whispered cockily, hugging her tight and kissing her head.

~ ~ THE END ~ ~

~ REALLY ~

* * *

 **A/N:** I hope you liked the ending and the little bonus. :) Please let me know. Oh, and there will not only be uploaded an alternative ending (the not-happy-one), but I will also upload a one-shot into my collection "Between Trust and Confession" that was inspired by the bonus part, so be aware of it. (I'll inform you again when I'll upload the alternative ending. :D)

Have a nice day!

:o)


	7. Alternative ending - The choices we make

**A/N:** Hello my dear readers. Yes, you're reading correctly, I've finally managed to get the alternative ending of TSTOS online. As I already said, this is the **not-so-happy-ending** that had shot into my head during writing the fifth chapter, so if you want to have their happily ever after, then please don't read any further. Let the last chapter be the ending as it was meant to be, and read the one-shot sequel if you like. (I'll upload that in my one-shot collection ' _Between Trust and Confession_ ' in a couple of days.)

This chapter could be considered a little dark at a certain part, and therefore comes with a **warning**.

Also, the alternative ending starts with a choice, as the title suggests, that was made after Chloe and Lucifer had their "talk" in his penthouse. So for those of you, who had also read the happy-ending, you can skip the whole part up till then.

This chapter was **beta-read** by Daemon. You're my awesome sidekick! :D Thank you so much! All remaining mistakes are my own.

For all the others, happy reading! :D

Enjoy!

* * *

 _Alternative Ending: The choices we make_

o~o

The loud throbbing of Chloe's heartbeat resounding in her ears kept her from perceiving that the room had become dead silent. She didn't know for how long she'd stopped breathing, but when the burning in her lungs became too painful she eventually inhaled deeply. Her sight was still fixed at the picture in front of her; the grotesque face with its haunting eyes that stared right into hers. She wanted to look away, but couldn't bring her head to turn or her lids to close. No single muscle in her body obeyed her will. When after a while the shock subsided, her body started to tremble, easing up some of the tension, and finally, she was able to move her hands to the pictures, hastily gathering them up and closing the file shut to spare her further insight into this nightmare.

She breathed a sigh of relief, when all of a sudden the photos flashed up again in front of her inner eye, scaring her anew. A thick lump formed inside her throat, slowly throttling the air supply, and she had to swallow several times before she could get rid of it, stifling down the panic-fuelled cry in the process that crawled up on her and threatened to break out any moment. She tightly clutched onto any composure that was left inside of her, frantically trying not to lose it right here in her boss's office, and pushed the terrifying thought to the back of her head. There must be an explanation to all of this, she told herself. A reasonable explanation to why in these pictures, that showed one of their intimate moments, Lucifer looked as if he was... Chloe couldn't bring it over herself to even say the word in her mind, to even consider it. No! She shook her head, determined. He wasn't! He couldn't be!

"Detective?"

The Lieutenant's cautious-sounding voice brought her back into the here and now, and Chloe reminded herself once again that she was in the office of her boss, together with her. She harrumphed and took several more breaths to call herself back to order before she looked up and straight into her superior's eyes.

"Do you want me to do something about it?" Monroe asked softly, worried for her employee. Never before in her life had she witnessed her Detective getting silent and pale within the blink of an eye. When she saw the pictures the first time, she had hoped that Chloe knew this already, and, trusting her ability for public safety, she had contemplated to leave it up to her on how to proceed. But seeing her reaction first-hand, she knew in this instant that Chloe hadn't known either who the man, Mr Morningstar, actually was; _what_ he actually was. And this completely turned the tables.

The void in her head was still pressing down on her like a heavy weight when Chloe found herself shaking her head vigorously, denying the other woman's offer. As if this little gesture had opened the dike, a million and one questions suddenly flooded her mind. She was confused at them, couldn't even think one coherent thought, let alone voice them out loud. And if she was totally honest with herself, she was scared to the bones. It wasn't the red colour of his skin or the deep, dark scars she'd seen on his back. What really shook her to the core were those eyes that, despite being just on this photograph, seemed like they were piercing right through her, as if they knew she was looking at them. Still, the need to protect him, Lucifer, her partner, was the loudest voice in her head. "No, Lieutenant," Chloe eventually answered in a surprisingly steady tone. She looked down at her fingers, realising their almost uncontrollable shiver, and she quickly clutched the file in her hands tighter. "Please forget that you've ever seen them," she bid quietly without a second thought. Squinting her eyes shut and silently ordering herself to calm down, she turned her attention back to the woman in front of her and added with all earnestness, "And tell Garcia to destroy the footage."

Her Lieutenant looked at her as if she'd just spoken in Mandarin. "Are you absolutely sure about that?" she inquired sceptically. After all, this wasn't like one of her officers had swept a speeding ticket under the table. This was far worse. Maybe even a threat to life as she knew it. Not that she personally wouldn't prefer to lock this whole thing in a safe and throw away the key. But she was the Lieutenant. She had to think about the precinct, the community first, regardless of her personal feelings.

Chloe couldn't believe the words that had just left her mouth, but thinking about it, she was sure; she was certain of it. Nodding her head, she verbally affirmed as well, "Yes!" She took another deep breath. The sound of her heart was still blaring in her ears, and it was almost impossible for her to concentrate on what she was about to say next. But she needed to make this clear. "As you told me already, Lieutenant. You want _me_ to decide what to do with those pictures. And I ask you to forget you've ever seen them. And tell Garcia to destroy all evidence of their existence." The tone in her voice got steadier with each syllable, bringing back her self-control, and in the end, she stared at her superior with a stern and demanding expression.

"Well, I can't say that _I_ wouldn't be glad to forget what is on them, but-" Monroe started her objection, but was quickly cut off by her Detective.

"Lieutenant, I need your word on this," Chloe pleaded adamantly. It wasn't just her personal feelings about those pictures. If they really were true, then people had to be kept safe. But this also included Lucifer. And she needed to be absolutely sure that she could trust her boss to provide safety to her partner as well. It was dreadful to imagine those pictures in the wrong hands. When she saw the woman opposite to her nodding her confirmation, some of her tension eased down again. Without another word, she grabbed the file, tightly pressing it to her chest as if she wanted to protect its content, and stood up from the chair. Turning around, Chloe was about to grab the door handle when a sudden thought kept her back and made her face her boss again. "Are these the only copies?" she wondered, her speech wavered by the worried feeling inside of her.

"Yes," Monroe assured right away, nodding. Her view lowered back onto her desk when she repeated, "I will tell Garcia to instantly delete all the footage." After taking a breath she continued, "And to pretend that he'd never seen them, as I do. You have my word, Detective."

The last sentence had been spoken softer than the words before and Chloe instantly knew, her boss would keep them. "Good!" she replied, relieved, and was about to turn back to the door when the Lieutenant's voice rose again.

"And in return, I have your word that you will take care of this... incidence?" Monroe wanted to make sure, her tone slightly alerting at the possible impact this situation could have.

Chloe paused and gripped the file firmer. She didn't like at all how the woman's voice had sounded, what she had implied with her words. After all, it was still her partner, right? It was still Lucifer, it... Chloe's mind stopped abruptly as she realised the expression she'd been silently using. Lucifer wasn't an _it_! Lucifer was a _he_ , wasn't he? The throbbing in her ears quickened, revealing how the rate of her pulse had increased as if she was on a run. She looked back to her Lieutenant, her eyes steadfastly fixed on hers, when she calmly answered, "You have my word that I will do anything to keep _everyone_ safe."

Her boss visibly relaxed into her chair, nodding reassured, and Chloe quickly turned around, rushed out of the room and shut the door loudly behind herself. Not wanting to spend just one more second inside this building, she made a beeline to the elevator, silently praying that it would be there at the push of the button, and thanking relieved when the loud ping instantly resounded and the door slid open. She scurried inside and quickly pressed the button for ground level. Only when the door slid shut again, she allowed herself to breathe. Her body trembled as the air blew up her lungs, and she almost choked on herself when she tried to keep the wave of emotions at bay that were washing over her. She couldn't break down now. Not here! Not in the precinct, with all these people everywhere.

When the lift arrived at the floor, she hurried out to the taxi that was waiting for her. With the past events of the night, she had felt too tired to drive on her own and had used a taxi to get to the precinct. And right now she was glad she didn't have to drive back on her own. She wouldn't be able to do so after what she'd just seen. Hastily opening the door, she quickly got inside the car, slamming the door shut when she was seated.

"Do you want to drive back to your home, ma'am?" the friendly driver asked. His warm eyes reflected from the rear-view mirror he was peering into to have a look at her.

Chloe thought about his question. Going directly back home and getting a clear head first really sounded tempting. She could take her time to think everything through before she would take action, before she would have to face him again... She almost was about to answer with a 'y _es'_ when her mind abruptly changed plans: She wouldn't be able to relax again before she had her answers. And she needed them now, the sooner the better, she thought to herself and quickly stated, "No!" Her jaw started to quaver and she halted for a moment, took a deep breath to compose herself, and ordered in a friendly manner, "Please drive to LUX." The man nodded into the mirror, starting the engine, and Chloe quickly buckled up when the car moved into the lane and drove off.

/-/

The drive had been silent all the way to LUX. Chloe was too caught up in her thoughts to even register the changing surroundings. Only when the car arrived at the side road of the building and stopped, she snapped back into reality and quickly turned her attention from the window to the driver. "Could you please wait here?" she asked in a tone that was filled with affliction. "I won't take long. You can keep the clock running," she added, trying to make it sound more nonchalant this time.

The driver turned to her, flashing her his warmest smile, and replied, "Don't worry, ma'am. You can take as long as you need. I'll wait here." Then he turned back and switched off the clock. A gesture he wouldn't have done for a lot of his passengers. But this woman was different. She'd been so chatty and nice on the way to the police department, and when she'd come back, her whole behaviour had changed. She seemed deeply distressed and he instantly depicted in his mind that something terrible must have happened. He was glad that he'd changed tours with his colleague last minute, knowing that his fellow would have most probably taken advantage and charge her even the double price for waiting. But he wasn't anything like his colleague: When someone was in trouble, he would try to help. And this woman clearly needed all the help she could get. Even if it was as simple as switching off the clock so she wouldn't need to pay for waiting.

Chloe nodded thankfully at the man before she unbuckled and stepped out of the car. She walked ahead, towards the side entry of the club and almost tripped over her feet when she suddenly spotted the Corvette parking right next to it. She'd been so distracted in her mind again, that she hadn't even registered the car standing there. Lucifer's car, with which Detective Anderson had brought her home that night. In an instant, the memories of the ride shot back into her head and she saw the Detective's beaming eyes when he took a seat behind the wheel. He'd told her that he'd admired the car since the first time he'd spotted it in front of the precinct and that he couldn't quite believe he was sitting in the driver's seat of that precious metal lady. Chloe had intended to be driven home in one of the police cars, but when she'd seen the look on her colleagues face, she'd suggested to him to drive her home first, so he could enjoy the longer ride. They had been chatting and joking during the way back to her home and it was only thanks to the lightheartedness of their talk that she was able to fall asleep right away, rather than tossing and turning in bed, and unintentionally recalling all the events. She swallowed down the queasy feeling this little memory trip had stirred up inside of her and turned to the door, opening it and stepping inside.

The club looked almost deserted if it weren't for the few staff members who cleaned the floor and made everything ready for the upcoming night. Chloe cast a glance over to the bar where she used to sit with Lucifer during those times of the day, discussing their current case, enjoying the quiet atmosphere that was so very different from when the club would open only two hours later and would instantly be filled with young partying people, and, most importantly, simply relishing the time she had alone with him. A lump formed in her throat at the memory. She hastily swallowed it down and pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind. There was no time to reminisce about them right now, she told herself and made her way over to the lift. The doors instantly slid open when she pressed the button, and she stepped inside. She selected the number to his penthouse and watched the doors slide close again before the lift took off, ignoring the nervous tremble of her legs that increased, the closer she came to his floor.

The indirect light that shimmered from the marble coloured wall on her back bathed the little cubicle into a comfortable ambience, and she almost shrieked when the loud ping resounded, announcing that she'd reached the penthouse and the doors sprang back open. The hesitation to leave this safe cell rumbled around inside of her, making her fingers quiver visibly, and she quickly pulled the sleeves over her knuckles and clutched the file tighter to cover her discomfort. Taking a deep breath and plucking up all her courage, she finally walked out of the elevator and into the entrance area of his apartment.

"I'm glad you decided to step out of the lift by yourself, Chloe," Lucifer's cheerful voice instantly sounded through the room, addressing her. "I was about to get up and get you," he teased while eliciting more of the soft tunes out of his grand that had already filled the air.

For a moment, Chloe froze at his words. Had he known she would come? Had he sensed her? She quickly shook her head to get rid of the fear that crept up on her spine. This wasn't something new. Somehow he always knew when she was nearby; then, he had closed his eyes and taken a deep breath as if he could smell her presence. And all this time she hadn't spent one bit of concern about that behaviour. So why was she starting now? Because of the pictures she'd seen? She almost wanted to answer in the affirmative, before she silently rebuked herself. First, she needed to talk to him. She needed answers. A reasonable explanation. And only after that, she would allow her feelings to get the better of her.

Lucifer was playing the melody on his piano that he had played the night before; the same song that had pushed the worrying thoughts aside and had calmed his heart down. He hadn't been worried about anything when he'd started to play the song, this time. The trip to the hospital had been easy. As expected, the doctors didn't find any of his ribs broken or his inner organs affected by the two bullet hits. They had discharged him with a package of ointment to help his haematomas heal, and had told him to rest and cool the areas with ice until the bruises would disappear. When he came home, he'd instantly spotted his car on the side road and sighed with relief. He had checked for scratches on the paint, of course, but only briefly, when he felt sleep slowly wrapping itself around him. He'd barely managed to reach his bedroom before he dropped down onto the pillow and snored his way into dreamland. When he woke up a couple of hours later, alerted by noises coming from the entrance area, he quickly got up and caught sight of the Brittany's making their way over to him, dressed only in a breath of nothing, to welcome him back. He'd laughed out with joy, had waltzed over to them and gently but firmly had pushed them back into the elevator. Their surprised and befuddled faces almost made him feel pity for them, but he'd only apologised with a smile and said that he didn't need them at the moment. He didn't need anyone at the moment, or anytime in the future, except for a certain feisty Police Detective, he'd silently admitted and strolled over to his grand, taking a seat and starting to play the melody that reminded him so much of her.

But now, he felt worry crawling up from the depths of his guts. Several moments have passed by, and still, he hadn't heard anything from Chloe: No words, no sounds, not even the slightest noises. And if he didn't know that she was standing in the entrance area and didn't feel her gaze lingering on him, he would have thought he imagined things. This certainly wasn't a sick bed visit how he had dreamed about, that would end in some delightful pleasure for the both of them. This was something else. This was serious.

Lucifer's suspicion quickly got confirmed when he glanced up from the black and white keys and beheld her. She looked so fragile to him; her skin tone was dangerously pale, and her eyes, even if she tried anything possible to hide it from him, reflected sheer fear. His smile instantly vanished from his face and he felt his heart sinking to his boots. "What happened?" he asked her, full of worry, and jumped up from his seat, driven by the inner need to immediately embrace her into a tight hug and scare away whatever must have frightened her. Suddenly he spotted her whole body flinching at his move, and he froze midway.

"Stay, please," Chloe managed to get out in a voice that was barely above a whisper, raising her hand in a stop gesture to support her words. Unwittingly, her eyes wandered down to the fingers of her outstretched hand: They were shaking again. Both her hands were, right now, and it was that strong that she felt it move up her arms, over her shoulders and down her torso. She needed to get back control over herself before it reached her knees and she would drop down to the floor like a lifeless puppet. Looking back at him, she saw his affirming nod and him taking back his seat at the piano. She exhaled with relief and directly felt some of her strength coming back, making her stand steadily again.

Lucifer was bewildered about her behaviour and didn't quite know how to react properly. But apparently, she needed physical space between them. Hence he fought down the urge to close the distance and wrap her in his arms, and also remained completely still when he watched her cautiously approaching the piano. His eyes followed her hand clutching back around a file she held tightly pressed to her chest, and he recognised with dismay that her fingers were trembling. "I prefer to make you tremble for a different reason," he quipped, lightly raising the corners of his mouth to a faint smile to make up for the wary tone in his voice. The smile, however, dropped quickly southwards at the lack of response from her side. His concern for her grew further, and a feeling added itself to it that her fear must have something to do with what was inside of that file. When she was at the side of the piano, she wordlessly put the thing onto the black gleaming cover and shoved it towards him as far as her arm could reach. "What's that?" he asked her curiously but waited for her to take several steps back towards the exit before he grabbed for the little beige coloured paper.

"They had-," Chloe's voice broke off. She cleared her throat and tried it again. "They had surveillance cameras all around the house," she explained shakily and was glad that her voice didn't fail her the second time.

Lucifer had been about to open it when he heard her words. "So?" he wondered, completely clueless, and looked back up to her, puzzled. His whole attention was fixed at the woman opposite of him, as he patiently awaited her answer.

"These are pictures from when we-" She stopped abruptly, unable to say anything more on that part when the elucidation instantly brought back the memories. She had felt so aroused and, at the same time, safe with him back then that she hadn't questioned his demand to keep her eyes shut for one split second. She hadn't even spent one single thought at the reason for him to do so. And it horrified her now, to know that during this time, he had been looking like this. "They show you.. but also not... and I think...," she stammered incoherently and stopped again to swallow down the new lump in her throat. "Actually, I don't know what to think," she admitted quietly, completely overwhelmed by the situation.

Lucifer chuckled lightly at the unexpected insight. His half open mouth stretched to a sad smile, and his eyes wandered from the top of his piano to the file in his hands to her and aback. Collecting his thoughts, he considered for a moment to open it nevertheless; to simply get certainty of what exactly she'd seen of him. But he simply placed the file back on top of his grand. Truth be told, he was afraid of it, afraid of the realisation he most definitely would get, that _he_ had caused her such a fright. His chest tightened almost painfully, and for a moment he didn't know if his heart had stopped its service or if he only had one of these panic attacks Linda once had talked to him about. Finding it hard to breathe properly, he waited a moment, closing his eyes to call himself to order, before he locked up all the emotions inside of him and put on his mask of cockiness and indifference. "Well, do you want a drink, then?" he suggested in his usual cheerful tone, grabbing his glass that stood near the corner of the cover and taking a sip.

Chloe slowly shook her head. Absent-minded, her look wandered around the room and fixed itself on the sun that had almost disappeared behind the horizon. The nervousness grew within her and only added to the coldness that filled her up. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to get at least some form of comforting warmth. Her chest rose, and after she breathed out the air from her lungs, she fixed her sight on the ground in front of her and replied with a low voice, "I want an answer."

"You already know the answer, Chloe," Lucifer replied calmly, his voice carrying away the chagrin this small sentence from her had stirred up inside of him. He flashed her another one of his sad smiles, before he continued, "I've never lied to you about who I am. I've told you so, right from the start."

"No!" she countered firmly and vehemently shook her head. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes and her chin trembled from the barrage of emotions that flooded over her at the impact this little word had caused. "I don't want to believe it!" she breathed and quickly wiped the little drops from her cheeks that had fallen down.

Lucifer closed his eyes and clenched his teeth in anger. A low grumble managed to escape his throat before he had himself back under control. "That's not my fault!" he retorted and looked back at her with almost black eyes.

"Please," she begged him, her voice rose several octaves in her despair. If he could just tell her something reasonable for her to believe in. Something, that could stop her world from falling apart. She would give anything for that. "Explain it to me," she pleaded imploringly. "So I can...," she trailed off, not able to continue speaking out the words her thought has provided her with.

"What?" Lucifer laughed out, mocking her to hide the hurt he felt at her denial. "Go back to your home and pretend that I don't exist?" he blared the last words in anger. Rising up from his seat, he took several steps towards her, his fiery red eyes flashing up at her as he spat, "I am the devil, Chloe! Whether you want to believe it or not!" When he saw her jumping with fright, shrinking back from him and clutching her arms even tighter around herself, his eyes quickly switched back to their brown colour. He stared at her, lost, hurt and helpless about how to go on without causing more damage to her fragile soul. He hadn't wanted to scare her, had never intended to do so. But he also couldn't see any other way for her to understand. To stop denying what was right in front of her, and to finally start believing his words, to believe him.

Chloe shook her head, causing further tears to run down her face. She was shocked to see those eyes first-hand. Their fiery colour. This fire that burned inside of them, inside of him. When he slowly started to approach her, her instinctive reaction was to move backwards, closer to the elevator.

It was nothing like the reaction he'd seen from Linda, back then, when he'd showed her his other self. Linda was shocked, and a little frightened, yes. But Chloe? The pure fear in her eyes awoke something inside of him that was beyond angst, beyond the feeling of panic to lose her for good, and he instantly regretted his decision. "I'm still me!" he quickly affirmed her, his voice louder than usual, but equally soft. "I will never hurt you, Chloe," he assured her, shaking his head to underline it, allowing the desperation he felt about the possibility of her leaving him to sound through. And when he saw her making small steps towards the exit, he almost shouted, pleading to her sense of reason, "You know that!"

She stopped and blinked her eyes, wiping away the wetness on her cheeks to buy herself some time, making it look like she had to consider his words for a moment. The truth was, she didn't know anything anymore, least of all what to do now. She was torn between the feelings she still had for him and the inner urge to run for her life and hide somewhere where he couldn't find her, if this was even possible. After all, it didn't happen that often that the man you considered your partner, your friend, the man you trusted to no end, who you fell for, turned out to be the devil, literally; a figure that for thousands of years was described as a monster, the epitome of Evil. How was this even rudimentarily comparable to the things she knew about him? But right now, all she could digest was the huge amount of fear and helplessness that ran through her. She fiddled with her hands, feeling the cold sweat that had soaked her fingers, except for one tiny area that felt as smooth as always. Looking down at her hands, her heart skipped a beat when she spotted the ring that was still on her finger. She'd completely forgotten to take it off. Not even her daughter had mentioned the little piece of metal one time. Within those few days, she'd become so used to it that her mind had already accepted it as a part of herself. As if she needed reconfirmation that the ring hadn't blended into her skin, she twisted it around her finger a couple of times.

"These pictures there, are the only copy," it suddenly blurted out of her mouth, and she continued out of the need to interrupt the silence that had fallen between them, "I told the Lieutenant to make sure that all the footage will be destroyed." Single teardrops fled her eyes and she quickly wiped them off, snuffling audibly, before she went on, "And to forget that she had ever seen them." As mighty as the fear about everything she'd experienced within the past half hour had been, the need to protect him occupied the major part of her mind. But she had to protect the people in her life as well, most importantly her daughter, but also the Detectives she worked with. "Please don't come to the precinct anymore," she pleaded softly. "I-," her voice broke again, and once more she needed to take a deep breath before she could restart her attempt to speak, "I made sure that Monroe won't do anything on her own... regarding you," she added with a shaky tone, and slowly the fear and worry inside of her took over again. "But I can't protect you when you show up in the precinct again."

Lucifer pricked up his ears at her words. Why did she think that he needed protection? That he couldn't handle it himself, regarding Monroe or the other Detectives? He watched how her hands played with each other, how she stepped further back, towards the bar, placing something he couldn't make out onto its counter before she continued her path to the elevator. Panic gripped him. Panic, that she actually meant she wanted to protect the others _from him_. Maybe even protect herself... But she wouldn't need to! "I'm still me!" he repeated with despair, this time refraining from adding that she knew that. As special as she was, she was only human, and humans tended to run away from things that frightened them, things they couldn't or didn't want to understand.

Chloe had reached the elevator and felt for the button, pressing it firmly with quavering fingers while she shook her head from side to side. Fresh tears flooded her eyes, blurring her sight up to the point where she no longer could make out the silhouette of his body. The ping resounded, slightly startling her, followed by the sound of the doors opening, and she whispered with a heavy heart, "Goodbye, Lucifer." She stepped into the elevator, quickly pressing ground level, before she pushed herself in the farthest corner of the little cubicle, hiding from his stare that followed her until the doors closed.

The lift down felt agonisingly long and with each passing second her ability to hold all these distressing emotions at bay shrunk. With the last of her strength, she dragged herself back to the taxi, slumping down into the backseat and slamming the door shut.

"Shall I drive you home now, ma'am?"

The driver's innocent question burst all her remaining walls and she broke down, crying her eyes out. It felt like dying, so tremendous was the pain inside of her. As if her heart was being ripped from out of her chest.

"Ma'am, is everything alright?" the driver asked hastily, appalled and at a lost. He stretched his arm against the steering wheel to turn his body halfway towards her, looking for any visible injury.

"Yeah, yeah," she lied poorly, and blubbered out, "Just drive me back, please." She couldn't even say the word aloud that ran through her head: _Home_. She knew, deep inside of her heart that she would never feel home again. _He_ was her home. And she'd lost him. She'd lost part of herself up there, with her decision. And it hurt, so badly that she had no words to describe it with.

Still baffled about the sudden situation he found himself in, the driver turned back in his seat, and without further words he started the engine, driving off.

/-/

Lucifer stared at the closed elevator doors for some time, seemingly unperturbed. Then he took a short breath of air, went back to his piano, grabbed his drink and emptied it as if nothing had happened. For a moment he stood there, wrapped in silence, tasting the remains of bourbon on his tongue and feeling the cool glass in his hand, while his eyes aimlessly wandered around the room. After a while, he turned around and strolled over to the bar, putting his glass down and refilling it with his finest beverage.

Slowly his mind started to process what just happened, recalling the words that had been spoken, and her last ones resounded in his ears. ' _Goodbye, Lucifer._ ' The way she had looked at him, the way she spoke those two words, it didn't sound like a goodbye to him, rather like a _farewell_. He took the glass back in his hand, raising it up to his lips and tilting it slightly to take a sip. ' _Farewell_ ,' it shot through his head, spoken with her sweet voice, over and over again. And then it sank in.

Lucifer let out a groan that got louder to overrule the word that still ran around in his head and ended in a blaring scream coming from deep within. His grip around the glass tightened and with savaged force he threw it against the wall, hitting several bottles, smashing them, before he rammed his fists onto the counter, destroying everything that was within reach to match his shattered heart. He felt his cheeks heating up and his eyes burning, until another, hitherto unfamiliar sensation took hold of him: The feeling of hot tears welling up in his eyes and running down his face. He panted, exhausted by the rage and in equal shares agony that streaked him and let his upper body drop down against the remains of the counter. The tears didn't want to cease, and as a new wave of desperation hit him, his body shook and he cried loudly into the palms of his hands.

What was he supposed to do? The inner feelings completely overpowered him, keeping him from forming even one usable thought, and the need to feel anything different than the pain that tightened his chest up to the point he was no longer able to breathe, went sky-high. He placed his hands on both sides and grabbed the pieces of glass, hoping to eliminate the ache in his heart when he could just ram the shards into his flesh. He compressed his fingers as firmly as possible. But it was too late. There was no pain. The shards didn't cut through his skin because Chloe was already too far away. It was forlorn.

She was gone.

Broken, he turned around and sank to the ground. Slowly the leaking alcohol dropped down on him, drenching his head and shirt, but he didn't care about it. He felt numb as if her leaving had also taken away any emotions he once had owned. He would do anything to feel again. Even pain. If he just knew how! His hands were still filled with the shards of glass and he began to roll them around in his fists as if they were just a bunch of marbles. Somehow the crunching sound soothed him, how it invaded the silence around him, reminding him that he still was alive. But from time to time, there was a slightly different sound that reached his ear.

*click*

*click*

When his curiosity finally got the better of him, he stared down at the hand the noise had come from and opened his fingers. There it was, looking at him like a bright shine of light. He emptied his other hand and with thumb and forefinger carefully grabbed the ring and held it in front of his eyes. This was Chloe's ring! He clearly remembered the moment inside the jeweller's shop when he got sight of it, on the day before the undercover operation had started. It was perfect. Just like Chloe. And in that moment he could think of nothing else but how it would look on her finger.

Lucifer sighed and smiled sadly as he let the ring hover in front of him like he used to do with his pentecostal coin, lightly pushing it to make it rotate around its axis. He thought back at the moment he'd given it to her, how delighted and carefree she'd been, and at the days that had followed after. That, despite the danger around them, this time had brought them so close together that nothing could keep them apart. Like when he'd yelled at her, but actually was only mad at himself for cheating on her. And then, he ran and hid behind the couch like a five-year-old. Still, directly after he'd calmed down, Chloe was there for him, spending him comfort and assuring him that everything was fine. Right now, he wished they still were in that house, where she couldn't run far from him, but had to face him eventually; and he could have another chance to explain himself to her, to assure her as well that everything was fine after she'd calmed down.

Sighing again, he clutched his fingers tightly around the ring, keeping his most sacred treasure safe. This ring meant so much more to him than just these human marriage phrases he'd read in the book. It belonged to Chloe, to no one else but her. This ring was a promise, _his_ promise, to her. That whatever might be, he would be there for her. He would do anything for her. He would protect her, make sure she was safe and felt secure. But that also meant, he would put her needs in front of his own at any time, her wellbeing above all else, even if it hurt him, he told himself and, once again, the look on Chloe's face showed up in front of his inner eye, further tightening his chest. How scared she was. Scared of him. And who could blame her? He closed his eyes, pressing some fresh tears out of them to run down his cheeks. He knew she needed time right now: Time to process all the things she'd just seen and heard, to get a clear mind. Even if it tore his heart apart not to go right after her. But he owed her this much. He'd done enough damage to her today. She shouldn't have to waste one more minute with him when she longed for that day with her child for so long.

Grabbing his phone and glancing at the time, Lucifer nodded to himself. Yes, right tomorrow morning, he promised himself, he would go to Chloe and see if he could fix the things with her, assure her that he never had and never will mean any harm to her. Ever!

Lucifer wiped the tears off of his face, snuffled down the remaining ones in his eyes, and stood up. He headed for the bathroom, determined to take a hot shower, to get his thoughts straight, and then, get some sleep to make the time run faster until he would see Chloe again.

/-/

Lucifer was still deep in his dreams when a buzzing sound caught his ears, abruptly pulling him out. He groaned into the pillow and clutched his hands above his ears, trying to shield the sound from cutting through his brain like a chainsaw. It was still too early to get up. He hadn't found any sleep that night. The events of the previous day had kept him up until early in the morning when he finally fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion. For a moment, he considered to simply ignore this noise, to wait until it would go away, so he could catch up on some more rest, but when his mind started working, his head shot up. This could be Chloe!

He reached for the phone on his bedside table. Just when he wanted to hit the answer button, the call silenced again and he swore under his breath. Rubbing the sand out of his eyes with his free hand, he switched on his phone and stared at the screen. Several missed calls from Maze. ' _Damn it!_ ' it ran through his head. How much he'd loved to see _her_ name standing there... Maze was the last person he wanted to talk to right now. Chloe had probably told her about what happened and she would give him an earful. Or worse, Chloe had thrown her out of their house, and she would want to kick his ass back to hell for destroying another one of her friendships.

The phone in his hand sprang back to life. It was Maze again. Lucifer groaned once more but decided to take the call. This way, he could at least check in what mood Chloe was this morning. Hitting the answer button, he pressed the little device to his ear, starting to talk right away, hoping he could explain himself before she would cut off his head, "Look, Maze-"

"Lucifer, you need to come!" Maze interrupted him frantically.

Lucifer sprang up in his bed, his mind completely alert. She didn't sound like Maze at all. She rather sounded as if she was distraught, and had been crying. And she never cried! "What happened?" he spoke into the receiver, his voice filled with worry but surprisingly calm. He got up from the bed, directly heading into the dressing room as he waited for her answer.

"Something," Maze's voice broke. Audibly, she snuffled her nose and started again, "Something happened to Chloe."

A loud sob resounded through the phone, right into his ear, and Lucifer's heart stopped beating. "What happened?" he repeated, appalled, immediately freezing in his track.

A moment of silence passed, before he heard her voice again, filled with tears, but clear, "Just come!"

"I'm on my way!" Lucifer assured her sincerely, ended the call, and grabbed the first suit from his closet. His mind was entirely blank. He didn't want to think. He didn't want to do anything that could keep him from getting to Chloe as fast as possible. Acting completely on autopilot, he dressed in record time and rushed back out of the dressing room, his phone stowed into his trousers pocket. He hurried to the elevator, and pressed the call button with more force than needed, agitatedly awaiting the little cubicle to arrive. The fear that something bad had happened to Chloe, _his Chloe_ , crawled up on him, threatening to overpower everything inside of him that still was sane. He shook his head out of his thoughts and pushed the feeling back down. There was no time for that now. He couldn't allow this emotion to get the better of him, knowing that it would do nothing but make him break down right here. And he couldn't afford that. First, he needed to get to Chloe and see if she was alright...

The elevator finally arrived with a loud ping, and its doors slid open. Lucifer darted into it, hastily pressing the ground floor button. And once again pushing back his fears as the doors slid close and the lift moved down.

/-/

He overran every red light, every stop sign in this city to get to her as fast as possible, not caring for any consequences in the slightest. He would deal later with them. Right now, his only concern was Chloe. Everything else was irrelevant.

When he turned into the street, he saw emergency lights illuminating the area, becoming even brighter the further he drove into the parking lot. He stopped the car and jumped out of it, passing several police cars as he headed for the ambulance van that stood near the front gate, assuming that Chloe was inside. But when he came closer, he saw only Dan sitting on a stretcher, wrapped in a blanket, his wrist in the hands of a paramedic, probably checking his pulse, his eyes puffy red and painted in shock as he looked at him. His mouth opened slightly as if he was about to say something, but Lucifer didn't care for him anymore. He turned around, rushing towards the gate that divided the outer area from the inner walkway. He went around the corner and almost bumped into Maze. "Where's Chloe?" he asked frantically, his worry doubled when he saw the distraught look on her face as she lifted her head.

"You better-" was all she managed to get out before he cut her off.

"Just tell me where she is!" he urged her. She silently pointed to their house, and he quickly rushed past her and through the open door. When he saw a police officer standing above a covered body, his heart froze in his chest. With eyes and mouth wide open, he voiced, aghast, "Chloe?" The police officer looked up at his word and sternly shook his head, lifting the sheet to reveal a dead young woman. A huge rock fell off Lucifer's chest and he took an assuaging, deep breath. He looked across the open area, but couldn't see Chloe anywhere, and his senses went instantly back on full alert. He hurried to the stairs, intending on checking the upper floor.

"Mr Morningstar?" The Lieutenant's surprised voice suddenly resounded behind him.

Lucifer was too distracted with his worries to register the light fright that swung in her tone. He wheeled around to her. "What happened? Where's Chloe?" he asked, urging, not missing a beat.

Monroe was visibly nervous to see him here, especially so close in front of her, with an expression on his face that she couldn't pin down. It shortly left her speechless. She swallowed the lump in her throat before she put on her well-trained professional mask and replied calmly, advising him, "You should leave."

Flabbergasted by her words, he silently shook his head and simply turned around, making clear that he would go nowhere before he hadn't found his beloved Chloe. Gripping the handrail, he jogged up the stairs, ignoring the other police officers and forensics that stood in his way as he tore past them.

The distinct sound of photos being taken came to his ears and he headed for its source. He was about to enter when someone else blocked his way again. Someone familiar.

"Lucifer," Ella stated, startled. Her big eyes were filled with tears, which escaped from their corners now and then ran down her cheeks. She hastily wiped them off of her face, trying to win the race against her emotions and contain her professionalism. "You should go back outside," she pleaded in a gentle but tearful voice.

"No!" he breathed, half in determination, half in horror, and stared at the entrance of Chloe's bedroom. More and more it sunk into his mind that something terrible had happened to her. He was scared stiff, and almost too afraid to go in there, but he had to. He needed to see with his own eyes what had happened to Chloe. If she was...

Lucifer didn't dare to spin that thought further. With heavy steps, he went forward and suddenly felt gentle hands clasp around his arm, trying to pull him back towards the stairs. He quickly turned around and shoved Ella off of him. "Let me!" he demanded, and then, without another thought, walked up and stepped into the room.

The first image that caught his eyes let his blood freeze in his veins. He wanted to avert his gaze but somehow, he couldn't make his head turn away. Against the door of the closet was hanging the small human, her body rigid and coloured in a palish blue on those areas that weren't covered in deep, red bruises. She was completely naked and even from this far, he saw the deep cuts across her chest, almost flesh deep.

Lucifer fought against the need to throw up immediately and suppressed the urge to turn around and flee again. He'd never cared about a dead human body, no matter how battered they were in the past. But now, seeing the child, Trixie, hanging there, turned his stomach upside down. He didn't even want to imagine what pain this little girl must have gone through. When his first wave of shock subsided, anger built up inside of him, quickly growing into a full-fledged rage and his eyes flashed fiery red. Whoever had done this to her would pay, in this world, and the one below!

' _Chloe!_ ' it suddenly shot through his head, and he shook himself out of his thoughts, quickly blinking his eyes back to their brown colour. He hadn't even realised that he'd clenched his hands so tightly that his fingernails had bored into his palms. But there was no mark left on the skin as he took a look at them. No cuts, not even the tiniest bit of damage. Was Chloe not here?

The distinct sound of someone taking pictures went back to his ears, and his anger and wonder instantly vanished from his system, leaving him with the only other feeling that increased the more seconds passed. His hands started shaking and he clenched them again, his breathing increased and he forced himself to exhale as silently as possible. His heart throbbed loudly in his ears and he stared at the door that had, up to now, shielded his view from the rest of the room. Bracing himself for the worst, he took several steps further into the room, passing the door, and turned to the side.

Everything inside of him shattered to pieces as he saw Chloe lying on the bed, outstretched, her arms and feet tied up against the headboard and footboard, her eyes dull, directed towards the closet, terror carved into her features that she'd felt as she witnessed her daughter dying before her very eyes. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He couldn't even form one single thought as he stared at her. Only slowly his mind began to register that the red colour her body was covered in didn't come from a dress, but from the big slash across her throat. "No!" he breathed in horror, and it quickly dawned on him that this wasn't a dream, wasn't a nightmare, but harsh reality. That his Chloe was lying there, in front of him... dead.

He bolted forward and flung his arms around her figure, tightly pressing her against himself. A flash of pain spread from his heart through his body, shaking him up. "No!" he shouted, shocked, and tightened the grip around her. She was cold and stark, and he wanted nothing more than to warm her up, to bring her back to life. Someone gripped his arm and tried to pull him away, and he rapidly shook his upper body, pushing that person off of him, before Ella's soft voice resounded behind him, addressing the person, "Let him! Just... let him."

Lucifer didn't care about what was going on around him, he buried his head deep into the crook of her neck, pulling her tighter towards himself. Hot tears shot into his eyes, but they didn't dare to leave. A wave of emotions washed over him, making him tremble, and with a loud cry, he sobbed against her, "Chloe!"

He was too late. He'd failed her. Never again would he see her smile, hear her voice in his ears, or smell her sweet scent. And knowing that the last moment between them had been a fight, tore him apart. This couldn't be it! This couldn't be the end! "No!" he cried against her head, denying to believe it, and the trembling increased, letting his body shiver almost uncontrollably. His eyes turned back to their fiery colour as the rage went back inside of him, fighting with his sorrow about the upper hand of him. His cry turned louder until he screamed his lungs out in agony, raising the roof and letting the people across the area shudder in fright. "NO!"

/-/

Lucifer's eyes sprang open and he panted like a steam machine, staring up at the dark ceiling of his apartment as he tried to come down from the nightmare. He clutched his hand above his eyes, rubbing the sleep away, and thereby, bringing him further into the here and now. Slowly, he turned his head and was startled again, as he beheld Trixie standing right next to him, staring at him with her big doe eyes, without saying a word. Her pupils appeared even darker in the light of the moon, giving a sharp contrast to the white of her eyes and letting her look like she'd been arisen right out of a horror movie. "What is?" he managed to get out without stumbling over the words, quickly hiding his in-fright-shaking hands as he pushed himself into an upright position.

"I had a bad dream again," Trixie whispered straightforwardly. Then, she tilted her head, her hands clutching around her soft toy, and she asked a little louder, "You, too?"

Nodding quickly, he briefly shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. When he looked back at her, he confirmed softly, "Yes, Trixie. Me, too." He took a deep breath to calm himself down some more, before he stood up, exhaling a silent breath of relief as his legs didn't quaver. "Come on, child. Let's bring you back to your mother," he announced and held his hand out to her. Trixie stared at it for a moment, before she looked up and voicelessly stretched her arms out to him. Sighing to himself, Lucifer picked her up, knowing that it was too early in the morning for him to get into one of these endless discussions with her about his dislike for body contact. Simply bringing her back without a murmur would take only a split of the time, anyway.

Carefully, walking across the room, skilfully circling around her shoes and toys she'd spread out on the floor, he made his way over to his bedroom. He took the two steps up and then, with two large ones, stopped right in front of his bed. A light smile tugged at the corners of his lips when he saw Chloe lying in the middle of it, her even breaths giving away that she was still asleep. He grabbed the duvet, lifting it up, and then carefully placed the child down onto the mattress, waiting until she had crawled further under the blanket before he tucked it back around her.

"What's wrong?" Chloe's sleepy voice suddenly piped up. She blinked several times, trying to adjust her eyes to the sudden figures in front of her. When she fully saw her daughter, she smiled warmly at her and gently grasped around her, pulling her closer.

"We had a bad dream, mummy," Trixie informed her and snuggled up against her.

"Again?" Chloe wondered, perplexed. When she saw her daughter nodding her head, she leant down and kissed her on her forehead. "It's alright now. I won't let the dream come back, baby," she promised her and wrapped the cover tighter around her.

Lucifer exhaled a low, relieved sigh. It felt good to see the two right in front of him. Safe. Secure. Well. He was about to turn around and go back to his couch when Chloe's voice rose again.

"Wait," she called for him in a hushed tone. When he looked back at her, she asked, wondering, "Trix said ' _we_ '. Did you have one, too?" Seeing his affirming nod, she added, "Was it the same dream like last time?" His expression saddened and he nodded with a heavy sigh. Chloe's features softened instantly and she tilted her head, nodding to the space behind her and patting with her free hand onto the mattress as she suggested quietly, "Come, lay down a bit."

Lucifer hesitated at first. It hadn't been easy between them after she'd found out that he really was the devil. Their relationship had been tensed since. He didn't want to scare her again. But as he saw her determined stare, he smiled warmly and walked around the bed. He wouldn't argue with her right now. He was glad she allowed him to be close to her again. Crawling under the duvet himself, he laid down on the pillow, leaving a decent gap between their bodies. He was taken by surprise when Chloe turned her body halfway to him, whispering a soft "come closer" while she grabbed him by his arm and pulled him towards her until he was directly at her back.

"Try to sleep, alright?" she told him and turned her head some more, her lips finding his, and she pressed a gentle kiss on his mouth while her fingers found the back of his head, caringly holding him in position and caressing his scalp.

He instantly leant into her, deepening the kiss some more, before he tenderly pulled away, still too afraid to scare her again. "I'll try," he whispered to her ear and snuggled into her soft hair, taking a deep breath of her sweet scent.

Chloe lowered her hand. Moving along his arm until she reached his wrist, she carefully grabbed it and pulled him with her as she moved her arm around her daughter, once more bringing him closer to her. Her head was still turned and she pressed another kiss against the corner of his mouth, before she shifted herself again, facing her daughter.

Lucifer relished the feeling of her being so firmly pressed against his body, sensing the warmth that radiated from her and feeling the firm softness of her back and behind against his front. Their fingers gently intertwined, holding each other tightly, and he caressed with his thumb the side of her knuckles. When she leant slightly forward, he further snuggled into her. Placing a tender kiss on her shoulder, he buried his face into her neck and took a deep, liberating breath. Slowly, he drifted back to sleep.

/-/

Lucifer awoke with a start. His wide open eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, and tiny tears rolled down the sides of his head as he blinked himself fully awake. He took a deep breath, squinting his eyes shut, and ran his hand over his face, wiping away the salty liquid that had gathered at the corners of his eyes. He suppressed a sob, and then at one go, pushed himself up from the uncomfortable bed of his hotel room. It wasn't like one of those fancy hotels he'd used in the past. It didn't matter where he found a place to stay, as long as it was available on the spot. He wouldn't find rest anyway. He couldn't. Not since that day...

Shifting to the side, he placed his feet on the ground, grumbling in distaste at the rough floor beneath his bare feet. He stood up and headed directly to the stack of whisky on the little table in the corner of the room, filling the glass almost to the brim, and then grabbed it, taking a large sip to numb his feelings again.

"You alright?"

He heard Maze's worried-stricken voice behind him and turned around. He nodded at her, sighing, and then took another large sip. He walked up to the balcony door, opening it, and stepped out to the railing. The cool breeze rushed past him, giving his in-sweat-covered body a shiver. But he ignored it. He didn't care if he was cold. Or tired. He didn't care about anything anymore. Except for finding him... Neither hearing it when Maze stepped up to him, nor feeling her presence right next to him, he instantly shrank back as she laid her hand on his arm. Then he turned his head and stared at her attentively, waiting for her to voice the thought that was so visible on her face.

"It's been three weeks by now," she declared concernedly. "Even for you, this long without sleep for more than two hours a night is too much, Lucifer." She was worried for him, deeply. The devil she used to know was completely gone, having left only a shell of him behind that consisted of nothing but grief and guilt. He was worn out, not just by the lack of proper rest. Also from the lack of nutrition he imposed on his body, taking in nothing but bourbon. She eyed him warily. He averted his gaze, but she saw the emptiness in his eyes before he could turn his head and look up at the night sky. Having another try, she gently placed her hand on his back, smiling relieved as he didn't shrink away from her this time. She slightly ran her hand up and down his back, trying to give him some much-needed comfort. "We haven't found him yet," she reminded him in a hushed tone. "He's human. He will die, eventually. So, why not wait till that happens, and then we can torture him for the rest of eternity?" she suggested, sure of it, and glanced at him.

Lucifer shook his head, declining her idea right away. "He took her life!" he countered, calm but decidedly, and sternly looked back at her. "He has no right to live his to the fullest!" He took a deep breath, exhaling through his mouth, and then added firmly, "I will find this bastard and drag him down to hell myself!"

Maze sighed and pressed her lips to a thin line. She knew how stubborn he could be, so his answer hadn't really surprised her. Still, he appeared so fragile to her, even more in the soft light of the moon that fell upon him. She feared he would break down, rather sooner than later. "Then at least take those sleeping pills Linda had given you," she urged him, and added imploringly, "Your body will shut down if you don't have a decent sleep, Lucifer. You're already running at your limits."

Lucifer shook his head again. "I can't," he denied in a soft whisper. He glanced back at her, seeing her pleading look, and admitted sorrowfully, "Those pills prevent me from dreaming." When he saw her features turning into a baffled look, he elucidated, "In my dreams, they're still alive." He sighed again, swallowing down the new wave of tears that welled up his throat, and emptied his drink in one go. Placing the glass on the railing, he took out a cigarette, lighting it up.

He took another glance at her, but instantly turned away from the sad expression on her face, fixing his sight on the metal rail in front of him instead as he took a long drag. He ignored Maze, and eventually, she turned around and headed back inside, getting at least herself the much-needed sleep, so she could watch out for him. Looking up, his eyes wandered over the city lights of New York. Maze and he had hunted this man across the whole country. Still, this scumbag managed to always be one step ahead of them. But this time they were close! He felt it in his guts, that it wouldn't take much longer before he had this filthy excuse of a human being. And then... Heaving a sigh, he took another drag from his cigarette and stared back up at the stars, at the North Star in particular. He uttered a soft "Dad?" and exhaled the smoke from his lungs. "Please, tell me, is she OK?" The star flickered several times, shining brightly, and Lucifer smiled lightly at the confirmation. He sighed again, his heart feeling a little less heavy than before, as he whispered, "Thank you." Taking another drag from his cigarette, he stubbed out the rest, grabbed the glass and went back inside. He stepped up to the little table again, refilling his glass, and then took a seat on the bed.

"And what do you want to do, after we punished him?" Maze asked and looked up from her side of the bed.

Lucifer straightened and turned his head, looking with one eye into her direction as he answered, determined, "Then I will enter the gates of heaven. By force, if dad doesn't let me in." Turning his head back, he took a large gulp, and then added, "Nothing will keep me away from Chloe any longer. So, dad either lets me to her or destroys me." He sighed again, and once more brought the cool glass up to his lips, nodding determinedly after he lowered the drink again. Nothing would keep him away from her ever again. Not even God!

~ ~ THE END ~ ~

~ REALLY ~

~ TRUE ~

* * *

 **A/N:** Alright, I hope you enjoyed this story and also this alternative ending. Please be so kind and let me know what you think of it. And if you've read the happy-one as well, which one you prefer. Thank you all so very much for your reviews, for putting this story to your favourites and/or alerts and for your continuing support. You are awesome! :D

Have a nice day!

:o)


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